National League South strugglers Welling United sack Peter Taylor after 1-1 draw at Bath City

BY MARK DOIG

Peter Taylor’s tenure as manager of Welling United was terminated after they were held 1-1 at home by fellow National League South strugglers, Bath City.

That followed their draw at basement club Billericay Town one week earlier, which was also seen as a must-win game by the club’s directors.

It has not been an easy time for him with Welling’s budget believed to be one of the lowest in the league but five games without a win have left the Wings teetering on the brink and the board felt that there was no other option other than to make changes.

Against Bath, both teams struggled to play cohesive football on a difficult pitch and chances were few and far between.

Bath went ahead in the 26th minute. Jack Sims went to claim an Elliott Frear free-kick but did not get there and Cody Cooke rose to head it home. Within a minute, Welling might have been level when Ben Allen was sent clear, but he slotted his effort wide of the post.

There were no further clear-cut openings in the first half but Welling had another great opportunity early in the second period. Kristian Campbell picked out Dipo Akinyemi with a brilliant cross but the striker, on a hot streak, could not believe it when his close range header went wide.

The game became fractured as the referee had to keep stopping play with Bath players going down holding their heads but then getting up, sometimes without the need for treatment from the physios, with a drop ball restarting the game.

Ten minutes were left on the clock when Bath had a great chance to wrap the game up. Alex Fletcher slanted in a brilliant pass between the Welling centre-backs but Cooke, arriving late, could only fire it beyond the far post.

Within a minute, they were made to pay for it when Jack Batten went down holding his head and the referee decided it was a case of the player ‘crying wolf’. Allen was sent clear into the space left and slid it under Ryan Clarke, and into the net.

Although there were nine minutes remaining, plus an additional six for all the stoppages, no further chances were created, and the spoils were shared.

PICTURES: DAVE BUDDEN