Report – Welling Utd 1 – 2 Wealdstone
Welling United
1 - 2
WealdstoneWealdstone recorded their first away win of the season with a remarkably resilient 2-1 victory over London rivals and in-form Welling United.
A first half goal from Ryan Sellers rewarded the Stones dominance in the first 45 minutes and Danny Green despatched a penalty just three minutes into the second half after Abobaker Eisa was shoved in the box.
Welling then went down to 10-men after Ben Jefford’s lunge on Eddie Oshodi, but the hosts rallied and Jack Parkinson headed in their only goal to set up a tense final half hour.
Manager Bobby Wilkinson surprised many with his team selection, with Glenn Wilson picking up a midweek training injury he handed a debut to young Taofiq Olomowewe a former Burnley centre-back and Ciaron Brown also returned to the starting eleven at the expense of Matty Whichelow, meaning Sellers was pushed further forward.
Olomowewe understandably took a little time to settle but the big defender contributed strongly for the remainder of a typically hard fought and physical contest.
And the Stones dominated the first half conceding zero chances. Although, it took Wealdstone some time to create clear-cut opportunities of their own. Eisa flashed a header wide on 34 minutes from a Green cross to give Welling their first warning.
Green’s next cross put the Stones ahead. He beat his man Jefford and dinked a perfectly-weighted cross to the unmarked Sellers who tapped in at the far post.
Just 90 seconds into the second half the Stones had a penalty. A long ball was pumped forward to Eisa which Dillon Barnes came out to collect, but in the chase for the ball Eisa was bundled over over by Parkinson right in front of the referee who pointed to the spot.
Green stepped up and smashed it down the middle with Barnes diving to his left, giving Wealdstone a bigger advantage.
Welling almost pulled a goal back when Tom Bradbrook was put through on goal, thankfully for the away side he smashed his effort wide. Two minutes later and the Stones had a man advantage, Jefford lunged in late on Oshodi and the referee gave the left-back a straight red card.
This, as so often, rallied the hosts and Jonathan North pulled off his first save on 62 minutes, getting down low to deny Bradbrook from a header.
But on 65 minutes the Wings did score. Jeffrey Monakana swung a corner into Parkinson and he rose highest to nod the ball past North at the far post.
Welling enjoyed large periods of play thereafter and a big territorial advantage but it was Wealdstone who had the best chances late on, on the counter-attack.
Barnes denied Eisa with his leg, Stephane Ngamvoulou also beat four defenders before firing over and Dan Fitchett hit the post in the last minute of the game but it remained 2-1 and Stones earned their first three points on the road this season, moving up to 10th in the NLS table.
WEALDSTONE: North, Oshodi, Brown, Olomowewe, Day, Cox (Ngamvoulou 66), Sellers, Okimo, Hippolyte-Patrick (Goodger 81), Green, Eisa (Fitchett 88). Subs not used: Hill, Whichelow.
Report by Chris Woods
Bobby Wilkinson Post Match reaction – To Follow
Steve Foster pics – HERE