AN August visit to Wigan Athletic's JJB Stadium for a pre-season friendly, stadium tour and tickets to their Worthington Cup match must have inspired Welland U16s for their opening Mercian League game and they ran out comfortable winners.

STREETS AHEAD DINES GREEN 1, WELLAND JUNIORS 9

Welland's Tim Saunder forced a corner within a minute, resulting in a 25-yard strike from Tom Goodwin to open the scoring, and within three minutes Mark Hill, also on his debut, made it two and then nearly three with a shot that hit the crossbar and bounced down onto the line.

Dines Green recovered and pressed forward but were thwarted Coles and Radnor whilst Furlong and Goodwin comfortably held the home side's wingers.

Welland then added two goals in quick succession from Hill and Thackeray to go in 4-0 up at half-time.

Saunder then scored a second-half hat-trick and Goodwin scored direct from a corner and it was the excellence of the Dines Green goalkeeper, who made some fine saves, that inspired the home side to score a consolation goal giving Welland captain and keeper Will Eccleston no chance.

The best goal of the game however went to Jamie Thackeray who ran from the half-way line beating two defenders before burying his 20-yard drive into the corner of the net.

Welland man of the match was Matt Furlong.

WELLAND 2, SUFFOLK RANGERS 1

THE opening game of the Mercian Elgar Under 14's Junior season saw Welland, at home to last season's high flyers Suffolk Rangers, kick off with a defensive line up - five across the midfield an only one striker.

The result was an evenly fought first half with one goal swinging it Suffolk's way - Jason Wharf's unstoppable shot from the edge of the are making it 0-1.

Welland changed tactics at half time, pushing Griffiths up front to form a twin striking partnership with Streather. After only ten minutes the move paid off with James Griffiths turning and volleying a crossed ball from 20 yards out into the top left hand corner of the net - goal of the season already?

Welland piled on the pressure ad their reward came when the seemingly omnipresent Robert Streather beat a strong defensive challenge to roll the ball under the advancing Suffolk keeper. 2-1 to the home side. The final minutes saw Suffolk on the offensive, desperate to snatch an equaliser, but Welland's intense desire to win all three points - typified by the never-say-die attitude of Captain Joe Taylor - saw them through to a deserved victory.

Welland Man of the Match: Joe Taylor.