BRIDGWATER Town ended Wellington’s splendid run of eight successive victories with a 4-1 triumph in the Premier Division of the Jewson Western Football League at the Playing Field.

The in-form Tangerines were brought down to earth by one of their former players as striker Jack Taylor bagged all four goals.

Wellington had gone into the game with six wins behind them in the league and two more in cup competitions - a run which had enabled them to fly up the table.

Before a big crowd at the Playing Field, the local derby got off to a lively start with two goals in the opening 11 minutes.

Taylor, who started his prolific Western League career with Wellington before moving on to Bridgwater, put the visitors in front with a far post header before the home side equalised two minutes later.

A neat interchange of passes played in young defender Sam Gleeson who squeezed the ball under keeper Liam Kingston to net his first goal for the club.

But that was as good as it got for Wellington who were never allowed to get into their stride as Taylor pounced on a mix-up to make it 2-1 just before the half-hour.

They nearly extended their lead with a stunning long-range effort by another ex-Tangerine, Josh Wadham, but he was foiled by a flying save from keeper Jake Viney, also playing against his former club.

Bridgwater were not to be denied and they extended their lead on the hour as Taylor outpaced the home defence to complete his hat-trick.

And things went from bad to worse from Wellington with ten minutes remaining when another lapse in defensive concentration gifted him his fourth goal of the game.

The Tangerines almost got one back as man-of-the-match Gleeson headed against the foot of the post but, overall, it was a bad day at the office for Richard Cherry’s side who slipped from sixth to eighth in the table.

Wellington: Jake Viney, Mark Cornish, Tom Stone, Jason Quick, Sam Gleeson, Charlie Wilson, Sam Pashen, Josh Lukins, Nathan Byrne, Miles Quick, Jake Quick. Substitutes: Matt Crawley, William Pinnick, Kieran Ireland, Ryan Hibbert (used); Jordan Hayman (not used).

Meanwhile, in other games in the division, top of the table Brixham AFC opened up a five-point lead over second-placed Clevedon Town with a 6-1 home win over bottom side Welton Rovers who slumped to their 19th successive defeat after giving Wellington a run for their money the previous weekend.

Clevedon dropped two crucial points when they were held to a 2-2 away draw by Buckland Athletic who are still very much in the hunt for at least promotion.

Third-placed Barnstaple Town won their 11th league game when they beat St Blazey 3-0 at home.