Welling United hit for six at Ebbsfleet

BY MARK DOIG

It was another disaster on the road for Welling United as they slumped to a 6-0 defeat at Ebbsfleet.

Having suffered a similar drubbing by Dartford in their last game before Peter Taylor took over, it was another tough afternoon for their supporters who made the short journey over the M25.

They have conceded early goals in many games this season and as they did in the Dartford game, they found themselves 1-0 down with less than a minute on the clock. Although leading goalscorer Dominic Poleon saw his shot come back of the post, Welling didn’t make the most of their escape by clearing it and it fell for Craig Tanner who fired home his first goal of the season.

Tanner then turned creator and sent Rakish Bingham away and he tucked it home with less than 10 minutes on the clock.

Jack Sims was out quickly to save from former AFC Wimbledon striker Poleon and he also had a shot deflected wide before they went 3-0 up. Tobi Adebayo-Rowling’s shot was blocked out as far as Bingham and he shot into the bottom corner to put the game to bed just over a quarter of the way in.

Bradley Stevenson forced an error out of the Ebbsfleet defence and created an opportunity for himself but Chris Haigh was equal to his low shot and saved well.

Soon after, Ebbsfleet went four up when Tanner slid home his second after good work by Greg Cundle. Four minutes before half time Alfie Egan’s spectacular shot flew in to make it 5-0.

In first half injury time, Haigh had to be alert again and made a flying save to keep out Kristian Campbell’s free-kick.

Taylor made a double change at the break bringing on Joe Muscatt and O’Shane Stewart for Chi Ezennolim and Bradley Pearce but it was still the Fleet who made most of the running. Cundle had a shot well saved but it came out to Adebayo-Rowling, who forced it home but his joy was shortlived as an offside flag caused it to be ruled out.

Sido Jombati’s near-post flick came back off the post then Kreshnic Krasniqi shaved the bar with a header from a similar position. Bingham side-footed well wide when looking to complete his hat-trick but both he and Tanner were substituted meaning that neither could claim the match ball.

Substitute Michael West might have done better but scuffed his shot wide and Cundle came close three times but it was not to be his day.

However, Ebbsfleet did claim a sixth with a minute remaining when former Wing Elliott Romain found space just outside the penalty are and drilled home inside the far post.

Welling now have two cup matches, a London Senior Cup game at Dulwich Hamlet and an FA Trophy game at Hungerford Town before they return to league action.

PICTURES: DAVE BUDDEN