Welwyn Garden City's hopes for a positive start to the new Southern League Division One Central season melted in the August heat at home to Walthamstow.

Goals from Damaray Anyadike, Lucas Schreiber and Ben Ward-Cochrane consigned them to a 3-0 loss in Max Mitchell's first game in charge.

There were some positives to take, especially going forward, but defensively the Citizens were taken apart far too easily.

The plus-30 degree sunshine wont have helped but they were caught down the flanks and left holes in the middle that will need shored up quickly.

And they don't have too much time to lick their wounds and change, with their next game away to Kempston Rovers on Tuesday.

The first period saw Welwyn enjoy the better of the possession stats and in better positions on the field but they failed to unpick a structured Stow defence.

Will Murphy had their best chance with a header but it drifted wide of the target, the wide man perhaps distracted by the leap of front man Josh Hutchinson.

The striker put another effort wide and was then penalised for a foul on the keeper, just as he was about to pounce on the rebound.

Cheyce Grant's shot straight at James Dillon was the only other attempt of not from the home side but too often they delivered a poor cross that was beyond the strikers or into the first man.

Defensively they didn't have too much to do but unfortunately, the one time they switched off was punished ruthlessly by the visitors.

A long punt forward by Dillon found itself out on the right with tall striker Matthew Walsh. His low cross took out the only real defender back there and allowed the unmarked Anyadike to side foot it back the way it came beyond

It was clear a change needed to come, whether tactically or in personnel, and when it came at half-time it was both, Archie Sayer replacing Eddie Corbit.

Before Welwyn had a chance to settle though, they were 2-0 down, and in similar circumstances to the first goal.

Thy were caught down the right this time, expecting a foul that never came, and the cross from Ward-Cochrane found Shreiber unmarked in the middle.

He simply guided it over Crowley into the far corner with his foot.

It was a sign of things to come and after Welwyn had survived a couple of crosses into the box, a loose ball was slammed into the top corner by Ward-Cochrane.

Welwyn's forays forward were more and more sporadic and failed to test Dillon and it meant a way back into the game never looked likely.

And with the heat finally telling on the player, the game limped to a subdued conclusion.

Work to do for Welwyn.


Welwyn Garden City: Crowley, Franklin, Taylor, Kayembe, Jessop, Doherty, Grant, Corbit (Sayer 46), Hutchinson, O'Connor, Murphy (Brown-Johnson 64).

Subs (not used): Hudson-Doncaster, Hinds-Cadette, Lowen.

Booked: Hutchinson 74, Grant 83


Walthamstow: Dillon, Schreiber, Spillane, Boxer (Brock 75), Fletcher, Cathline, Ward-Cochrane, Pinto, Walsh (Ibe 60), Anyadike, Bihimoutine.

Subs (not used): Jackson, Osei-Saahene, Beattie.

Goals: Anyadike 22, Schreiber 47, Ward-Cochrane 66

Booked: Spillane 19, Cathline 55, Pinto 68


HT: Welwyn Garden City 0 Walthamstow 1

Referee: Elliot Spencer (Stratford, London)

Attendance: 282