WELWYN GC got back to winning ways in the highest scoring game seen at Herns Way in a long time.
The Citizens put their defeat to Winslow three days earlier, behind them, to deservedly come out on top of this eight goal thriller.
Manager Gavin Kelsey was without the injured Ethan Rookard (ankle) and the unavailable Brad Dixon-Smith, but had Junior Moses back. In his line-up.
He rotated his squad, starting Ryan Hayes, Evaristo Mendes and Reece Mosanya and had Luis Cantello and Nick Ralfe on the bench, in changes from Saturday.
Hayes had an early effort blocked and with Mendes was inches away from a Tyreece Robertson centre across the face of goal as WGC dominated the early stages.
So it was somewhat against the run of play when Lions took the lead in 23 minutes, Jack Mattey getting away down the right and pulling a cross back for Dan Creese to sweep the visitors ahead.
Moments later, home keeper Connor Sansom was called upon to make a fine tip around save to keep out a well struck free-kick from Lions’ skipper Scott Leslie.
But gradually WGC regained the ascendancy and two goals in six minutes saw them 2-1 ahead at the break.
Firstly, from a right-wing corner, young central defender Frankie Impey got up highest to net a close in header for 1-1.
Then two minutes from the break, WGC had the lead, when fine work by Malik Nosike on the by-line pulled the ball across for Mendes to stoop and net another header past Lions’ keeper Nathan Bloohn.
Mendes netted his second of the game three minutes after the restart, when Moses plucked the ball out of the air impressively and squared it and his co-forward did the rest, firing home from close range.
On 53 minutes, the Citizens stretched away to a 4-1 lead, Robertson showing great pace to outstrip the Lions defence and cross for Hayes to shoot from close in. Keeper Bloohn made a fine point blank stop, but the ball bounced up oblighingly for Hayes to head in the rebound.
But the Lions wouldn’t be totally cowed and six minutes later they split open WGC’s defence for Creese to find Max Kyte to score from close in to make it 4-2.
WGC restored a three goal advantage on 68 minutes from the penalty spot, Leslie barging over Moses in the box with a heavy challenge, referee Dutton pointing to the spot. Skipper Eddie Corbit brought up the nap hand for WGC with a solid spot-kick.
Bloohn made a fine save to deny Moses making it six for the home side before Lions netted a third, six minutes from the final whistle, substitute Ben Bellman putting away a right-wing corner in good style, to end the night’s scoring.
WGC: Sansom, Ntege, Impey, Gauthier, Mosanya, Corbit, Nosike (Cantello 75), Hayes (Barrett 77), Robertson (Ralfe 79), Mendes (Sippetts 69), Moses.
