WELLINGTON Reserves were held to a 1-1 home draw by Sidmouth Town Reserves in the Premier Division of the Devon & Exeter League.

Wellington boss Mark Owen was forced into five changes and he called up two U18s to the bench - with both playing a big part later in the game.

The first half was scrappy with Wellington giving the ball away too many times and making little impact on the Sidmouth goal. The deadlock was broken on the half-hour when the visitors took the lead. A free kick on the right saw the ball swung high into the box. Charlie Hawkings, in goal, got a hand to it and Wellington had two chances to clear but they failed and the ball was hooked home by a Sidmouth forward.

No other real action happened and the half ended 1-0. Wellington made some changes to the formation to start the second half with Tom Hawkings moving forward to play alongside and support Jack Bryant. With the half only five minutes old, Wellington made an early change and brought on one of the U18s pair, Oliver Southcott, for Luke Perry and it was not long before he made an impact.

Jack Bryant made an excellent run and whipped in a fine low cross. Southcott, running in at the far post, hit a first-time shot past the keeper to make it 1-1 with an hour gone.

With Wellington now holding the ball better and finding each other, and with young Southcott now putting loads of energy on the right, it felt like a second goal for Wellington was not far away. However, on 65 minutes, Wellington went down to ten men when Tom Hawkings talked himself into the sin bin but Wellington lads stayed strong. With 15 minutes remaining, Owen came off to give another U18s player, Harry Chetland, a run in the side.