WGC were dealt a blow to mounting any sort of comeback when livewire attacker Piero Bagarone came off injured in the first half

WELWYN Garden City FC slumped to their heaviest league defeat of the season last night (Wednesday) going down 7-0 at home to Bedford.

The signs were ominous for the Citizens as they fell 2-0 behind after only six minutes in the SSML Division One encounter with Bedford’s lively striker Chris Johnson netting both goals.

City centre-half Tony Gotobed came close to reducing the deficit in the 15th minute, but his header from a Piero Bagarone corner flew over the bar.

Then it was Jonathan Walsh who nearly got WGC back into the game, but his curled effort from a Leigh Nymm corner flew agonisingly wide.

Bedford frontman Johnson turned provider in the 25th minute when he easily beat the offside trap, made it to the byline and squared for Ian Thorne to sidefoot home.

The hosts’ chances of mounting any sort of comeback suffered a blow in the 34th minute when livewire attacker Bagarone was taken off with an injury, Dean Sadler took his place.

Ten minutes before half-time Bedford could have gone 4-0 up, but WGC keeper Dennis Fettus made a fine save onto the bar and away following a rasping 20-yard from Anthony Richens.

The second half didn’t start well for City, and only three minutes in Johnson was denied his hat-trick by the post after he burst through a static defence and blasted an effort against the woodwork.

But Johnson wasn’t to be denied a third goal, and he got it on 50 minutes when again the home defence were again slow in coming out.

The Bedford striker controlled the ball, and with WGC keeper Fettus rushing out some 35 yards from goal, Johnson cooly lobbed the ball over the custodian and into the goal.

Heads went down in the WGC ranks and it was obviously a damage limitation exercise from then on in.

Unfortunately though, the scoring didn’t end there.

Bedford substitute Jason Layne had all the time in the world from a corner in the 79th minute to control the ball and hook in past Fettus for 5-0.

A superb direct free-kick five minutes later was netted by Glenn Tumelty after Leigh Nymm had conceded a needless foul some 20-yards out.

And that man again Johnson capped off a fine solo and team performance from the visitors by scoring his fourth goal of the game in the 89th minute when a quick free-kick was played into him, he comfortably outpaced the WGC defence and fired home.

City substitute Ade Osobu made a couple of rampaging runs late on, but he couldn’t get that clinical finish in to give his side any sort of consolation.

Johnson’s fourth goal rounded off the scoring at 7-0, and City boss Simon Braine will be hoping for a reaction from his players as they get set to host Cranfield United in the league on Saturday.