Richie Wellens came close to leaving out two-goal hero Sol Pryce

Posted Wednesday, November 28, 2018 by PA

Swindon manager Richie Wellens admitted he almost left two-goal hero Sol Pryce out of the team for his side’s 3-2 win at home to Stevenage.

Pryce scored a brilliant debut double to hand Wellens his first home victory since taking charge at the County Ground.

Wellens said: “Sol is a shocking trainer. I decided yesterday that I’d put him in. He joined us for a five-a-side and his body language was shocking.

“I nearly changed my mind but thank God I didn’t.”

Pryce’s fellow academy product Scott Twine was also on target, prompting Wellens to admit: “I feel like a babysitter!

“We played some brilliant football, some brilliant movement, some brilliant goals. I would have liked us to get four or five. Is it being greedy? Maybe.

“But I just felt the way the game went, we should have been out of sight.

“We are asking these young lads to do a lot. When we break, we break with pace, but these lads aren’t used to doing that for 90 minutes.

“It is something that we’ll work on, but some really good things were happening tonight.

“It would’ve been a real blow if we conceded an equaliser. It was a tough last 20 minutes.”

Pryce, 18, netted just 18 seconds into his debut by turning in Steven Alzate’s cross from close range.

Twine doubled the lead four minutes later, reacting quickest after Matt Taylor’s free-kick had been parried by Seny Timothy Dong.

Scott Cuthbert’s 14th minute header against his former club got Stevenage back into the game.

Pryce claimed his second and Swindon’s third in first-half stoppage-time with a calm finish after beating the Stevenage offside trap.

Joel Byrom gave the visitors hope 12 minutes from time with a heavily deflected strike but Swindon held firm.

Stevenage manager Dino Maamria said: “Some of the lads played with a lot of ambition, they really meant business.

“Unfortunately, we need to strengthen, we need a few bodies: winning players so that when the heavy schedule comes in we can change one or two personnel.

“We need the break, there are a few players playing with knocks. We need to strengthen all departments.

“You are always disappointed when you lose. Our fans travelled tonight, fair play to them again.

“I feel disappointed for them because they were backing us all the way and they were backing us tonight, I am very disappointed for them.”