WELLINGTON were held to their first home draw of the season when the drew 1-1 with Saltash United in the Premier Division of the Jewson Western League.

The Tangerines will be disappointed they didn’t make it three successive wins, having taken an early lead and then bossed the first hour of the game.

But, after equalising midway through the second half, Saltash often had them on the ropes in a pulsating finish which could have gone either way.

Wellington got off to a bright start with Phil Mendonca and Josh Baker looking lively up front and they combined to put their side ahead after only eight minutes.

Baker was sent tumbling in the box and Mendonca – taking over penalty duties from skipper Sam Towler – gave keeper Tyler Coombes no chance from the spot.

Nine minutes later, man-of-the-match Jacob Shore had a header cleared off the line with Baker’s follow-up shot blocked as Wellington sought to double their advantage.

Saltash were reduced to ten men when they had a player sin binned just before half-time but Wellington were unable to capitalise.

Mendonca and Baker were both denied by the legs of Coombes while, at the other end, home keeper Jack McAndrews had to dive bravely at a striker’s feet as the visitors from Cornwall began to threaten.

If Saltash were aggrieved by the penalty awarded against them, Wellington definitely felt hard done by as the referee pointed to the spot in the 72nd minute after Towler appeared to duck his head into a high boot, only to be penalised.

Skipper Tom Payne duly levelled the scores and it was game on, with both sides going close to grabbing a late equaliser.

Wellington felt they should have been awarded another penalty for handball in the dying minutes but their appeals were waved away and the game ended all-square.