Report – Wealdstone 1 – 0 Welling Utd
Wealdstone
1 - 0
Welling UnitedRicky Wellard’s last-minute header against his old club saw Wealdstone grab a 1-0 victory over Welling United in a tight encounter at Grosvenor Vale.
The win keeps the Stones in twelfth position but has decreased Wealdstone’s margin to the play off positions to five points.
Bobby Wilkinson made two changes to the side that emphatically beat Billericay Town 5-2 in the FA Trophy quarter-final last Saturday with Reagan Ogle and Eddie Oshodi making way.
Taking their place was the cup tied pair of Marcus Johnson-Schuster and Ian Gayle with the latter joining the Stones from Welling midway through the season, there was also a place on the bench for young forward Dylan Kearney who has been impressing at Uxbridge this season.
The game was an evenly contested affair throughout and enjoyed a fair share of chances, with Matty Whichelow having the games first key chance, beating Wings keeper Bailey Vose to the ball but just toe-poking the ball wide across the face of goal.
Welling had their best chance of the game on 28 minutes, Anthony Acheampong saw his effort cleared off the line by Sam Cox and then Jack Parkinson saw his rebound cleared off the line by Mustafa Tiryaki.
Whichelow then had the ball in the net a minute later after Tiryaki picked him out with a well delivered cross but unfortunately the linesman ruled it out for offside.
Last week’s hero Bradley Bubb then came close to adding to his tally, heading straight at Vose from close range from a Whichelow cross.
Both sides repeated Bubb’s effort early in the second half. Durojaiye Olumide shot straight at Jonathan North and Glenn Wilson headed straight at Vose.
Iffy Allen and David Pratt were both introduced from the bench with Pratt almost putting Stones into an 83rd minute lead, but he volleyed Jerome Okimo’s cross just over the bar.
And just when the game looked to be finishing a stalemate, Wellard glanced a perfect header across the face of goal into the far corner in injury time.
The visitors almost responded when Callum Driver’s 30-yard effort went just wide of North’s post but it was to be Wealdstone’s night.
WEALDSTONE: North, Johnson-Schuster, Okimo, Gayle, Wilson, Cox, Whichelow (Allen 61), Wellard, Tiryaki (Pratt 61), Green, Bubb (Kearney 76).Subs not used: Day, Fitchett.
By Chris Woods