Welling crash 2-0 at home to Eastbourne Borough

BY MARK DOIG

After their good performance in a losing cause one week earlier, Welling United failed to build on it when hosting Eastbourne Borough.

The Wings were only two points behind the club that they entertained but the gulf seemed much larger throughout the game. Eastbourne found space down both wings and passed through the back three with relative ease while up front. Welling’s new signing Tom Derry had to fight for scraps as he was starved of service.

Eastbourne showed their intentions by sending Joel Rollinson in behind Maxwell Statham inside the first minute, causing the Welling defender to foul him as he tried to create an opening for himself. James Hammond took the responsibility with the free-kick and whipped it over the wall but could not find the dip to get it under the bar.

Kristian Campbell hooked a volley wide from Joe Muscatt’s corner but Welling were soon struggling again when Charley Kendall went clear only for Jack Sims to come out quickly to make an excellent save.

Rollinson was unable to find the net from a tight angle, then both he and Kendall were thwarted by last-ditch blocks by Statham and Bradley Pearce as they again broke through Welling’s defensive line.

They had their best chance of a first-half goal when awarded a penalty following an Aaron Barnes challenge on Charlie Walker. Hammond stepped up but Sims went the right way to save to replicate his feat a week earlier at Hungerford Town.

As he had done in the previous half, Campbell had Welling’s first attempt in the second period but his effort was blocked wide. Although Welling were now enjoying a little more possession higher up the pitch, it made them vulnerable to the break and Jack Currie surged away and shot to draw another good save out of Sims.

On their next break, just short of the hour mark, Eastbourne broke the stalemate. Kendall found space down the right wing and beat the last man easily before cutting in and shooting beyond an exposed Sims.

Muscatt, looking for an immediate equaliser, flashed a shot just wide before Eastbourne escaped calls for a penalty for handball in the area. At the other end, Walker missed a chance to extend the Sports’ lead when heading wide before Welling finally tested Lee Worgan in the Eastbourne goal.

Derry got up well to guide it across goal but substitute Danny Parish could not muster enough power on his header and, although well placed towards the bottom corner, Worgan was just able to get down and turn it round the post.

Dipo Akinyemi came on for Statham for the last few minutes as Welling threw caution to the wind and almost had an immediate impact but hooked just beyond the post but with so many players forward, Welling were stretched at the back and were caught by a last-minute break. Kendall again went clear down the right before squaring for Domnic Hutchinson to smash into the unguarded net.

Peter Taylor, the Welling manager, now has to pick his team up as they head into a difficult period against teams with real play-off credentials starting on Saturday at Dorking Wanderers.