WELWYN GC put their disappointing FA Cup exit four nights before, behind them, to produce a storming second-half showing in their league opener at Hadley.
Gavin Kelsey’s first league game in charge of the Citizens, was in marked contrast to their rather lack-lustre Cup exit at the hands of step Enfield FC the previous Friday night.
Kelsey rang the changes after that reversal, restoring Eddie Corbit, Teddy Stacey and Ryan Hayes to his midfield and most crucially Nick Ralfe to his forward line.
Ralfe, whose season last campaign was riddled with injury, showed his best form in months, being constantly dangerous and netted twice in the early minutes of the second-half to turn this game completely around.
The opening 45 minutes was a rough, tough affair with Hadley, who also lost their interest in the FA Cup last weekend, in particular, showing plenty of aggression.
WGC keeper Connor Sansom made a fine, early save pushing away Billy Hayes’ effort for the home side, in the opening two minutes.
The game settled into a rather scrappy battle, with honours even, WGC not having their first effort on goal until the 27th minutes, when Ralfe did well to get the ball over from the left, Luis Cantello, playing at right-back, knocked it back and Brad Dixon-Smith blazed a strong shot wide.
Hadley took the lead on the half-hour, which was quite tough on a battling WGC performance.
Home forward Jordan Edwards threaded a ball out left, a low cross came over and when the visitors’ defence failed to clear, Basim Miftahmasabi was left to tap in for 1-0.
Haley could have had a second minutes later. WGC skipper Jay Lovell got caught out, keeper Sansom was forced to save at Hadley forward Lenny Asamoah’s feet, but when the rebound came out to Miftahmasabi again, this time he put his effort wide!
Within three minutes of the start of the second-half, WGC were level as the ball was swung over from the right, Ralfe lost his marker and tucked a neat effort into the bottom corner for 1-1.
The goal immediately lifted the Citizens and seven minutes later they were ahead. Teddy Stacey collected and struck a powerful long-range effort that home keeper Charlie Taylor just touched onto a post.
The ball bounced down, but Ralfe was quickly onto it to slot home his second from a tight angle.
Ten minutes later, the now rampant winger almost had a hat-trick after fine work from Corbit, Ralfe shot across the face of the Hadley goal, inches wide and just away from the incoming Reece Mosanya.
After 70 minutes, Ralfe was replaced by Brandon Annous and it was the substitute who added the third 12 minutes from time.
Fellow sub Evaristo Mendes, who had replaced Kendall Gyamfi early in the half, showed great pace in outstripping the Hadley defence to a through ball. He got his cross over and in came Annous to bundle in number three from close range.
Annous could have had a second and a WGC fourth when he was slipped through by Malik Nosike’s pass late on, but he hit his effort straight at home keeper Taylor.
WGC: Sansom, Cantello, Lovell, Gauthier, Dixon-Smith, Stacey (Nosike 80), Corbit, Hayes (Gordon 73), Mosanya, Gyamfi (Mendes 50), Ralfe (Annous 70). Sub:- Impey (not used).
