Welwyn Garden City paid the penalty in their FA Trophy loss to Aldershot says Jon Sexton
Jon Sexton in action for Welwyn Garden City against Aldershot Town. - Credit: KARYN HADDON
Jon Sexton was in contemplative mood after Welwyn Garden City's 5-1 defeat in the FA Trophy to Aldershot Town - although he hailed the squad's never-say-die attitude.
Although they gave a fine showing of themselves, especially in the second half when they threatened an unlikely comeback, Welwyn never recovered from a hotly-disputed penalty inside the opening 20 minutes of the match.
Lee Close in action for Welwyn Garden City against Aldershot Town. - Credit: KARYN HADDON
The award of the vast majority of spot-kicks is debated fiercely but this time Welwyn seemed to have a good reason to be aggrieved, Lee Close having seemingly timed his tackle to perfection, snaking a leg around Mike Fondop and poking the ball away.
The referee felt otherwise though and the popular full-back said that gave them a mountain to climb against their National League opponents, three levels above WGC.
George Ironton in action for Welwyn Garden City against Aldershot Town. - Credit: KARYN HADDON
Sexton said: "What killed us was that penalty in the first half. It was an unjust penalty to say the least.
"We’d set up well, we did what we’ve done in the other rounds of the Trophy.
"But it was still close. I know the penalty put us 1-0 down but it was only 2-0 with 20 minutes to go and we competed.
"It was always going to be a scrappy game on that pitch with not many moments of quality.
David Keenleyside in action for Welwyn Garden City against Aldershot Town. - Credit: KARYN HADDON
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"But the penalty rallied us and we’re like that as a team. When our backs are against the wall, we’ll always turn up."
The fightback in the second half, was halted by a third on the break with 17 minutes remaining, and another 60 seconds later, but the Citizens kept plugging away and got the reward of a consolation goal through Jordan Kinoshi.
And Sexton says if that is to be the last football of the season, or at least for a while, then it typifies Welwyn's season so far.
He said: "We were trying to get back into it. Jordan was brilliant when he came on, properly terrorised them, and we were going for it, it was a classic cup-tie..
"It’s been a great season. The FA Trophy run has been brilliant and we’ve more than showed we’re capable of getting promoted.
"We competed last year and we are right up there this year.
George Ironton in action for Welwyn Garden City against Aldershot Town. - Credit: KARYN HADDON
"If we continue then we’ll get promoted but it looks like it will more than likely be cancelled."
