Welwyn GC scraped a narrow 2-1 win over bottom side Barton Rovers in Southern League Division One Central to make it 10 points out of a possible 12.

In a very ordinary game, most of the drama was contained in the closing minutes, when Max Mitchell’s side conceded a penalty and had newcomer Jason Beck sent off seconds prior to the late spot-kick.

WGC looked to have made the points safe with a second goal 10 minutes from time.

Hard-working Josh Hutchinson won the ball and found Joe Dearman, whose low cross located substitute Luc Ackermann-Stanfield to slip a challenge and shoot into the far corner.

But lowly Barton had other ideas as Temilola Akinbusoye crashed home, only for it to be pulled back for offside.

There was much more drama in stoppage time as Barton pressed and won a free-kick 20 yards out, when referee Perry noticed a skirmish between Beck and a Barton player.

The free-kick resulted in a penalty, as keeper/captain Charlie Crowley missed his punch and flattened Barton’s Conor Clarke and, after awarding the penalty, Perry issued a straight red card to Beck.

Akinbusoye fired in the resulting penalty and eight minutes of stoppage time proved anxious for the hosts as they just about held out.

WGC included central defender Tommy Fletcher, who joined the previous day from division rivals Walthamstow, and he produced a fine tackle on Kieran Hamilton on two minutes.

The Citizens had a purple patch around the 15-minute mark, as Beck found Carlos Flood who crossed for Hutchinson to see a fine flicked header tipped over by Niall Cooper.

Two minutes later, Ali Njie produced a peach of a pass to Dearman and his cross was toe-ended at full stretch by Hutchinson but Cooper kept it out.

Beck got forward to shoot just past a post after good work by the energetic Max Jessop, who was the victim of a high tackle by Lewis Thomas, that led to the first yellow card.

Hutchinson headed straight at Cooper, before the Citizens took the lead on 40 minutes, as Flood fired over a powerful cross-shot from the right and Hutchinson got the vital touch with his head.

Barton replied with a well-struck Gordon-Douglas effort, deflected inches past the post, while Hamilton couldn’t get the final touch on a ball across the face of goal.

The second half proved a poor affair, prior to the late drama, as WGC saw Joe Russell limp off to be replaced by Lewis Franklin on 50 minutes.

Both sides rang the changes throughout the half, but there was little to enthuse about, until WGC’s second goal on 80 minutes.

The biggest cheer of the day came eight minutes from time from a paltry home crowd of just over 100 as Cyrus Babaie was introduced for his first game in over six months, after a serious knee injury. Manager Mitchell will be hoping the popular striker will give him more options in his attack.