Welling United once again undone by bogey side St Albans City as they lost 3-0

BY MARK DOIG

It was what’s often described as ‘a bad day in the office’ when Welling United hosted St Albans City.

They came up against their nemesis, Shaun Jeffers, in a side that has become a bogey team for the Wings in recent years. Last season Jeffers notched a hat-trick at St Albans and, the season before, a brace at Park View Road. In 2019, he scored a late equaliser for Chelmsford City at Welling which has become a happy hunting ground for him.

However, he won’t have had many easier goals than his first one on Saturday. Welling had started the game the better with the Saints goalkeeper Michael Johnson doing superbly to drag out an Amadou Kassarate header from under the bar with nobody following up to force home the rebound.

Antony Papadopoulos then worked his way in from the right and drew a good low save out of Johnson, although he may have been better to have pulled it back. Ade Azeez lost his marker but glanced his header wide from Taylor Maloney’s free-kick as Welling had the better chances.

On the half-hour mark, St Albans went ahead, and it was Jeffers who broke the deadlock with an absolute gift. Maloney attempted a backpass but underhit it, which allowed Jeffers to go round Myles Roberts and roll it into the net.

Maloney had a chance to equalise immediately but shot well over after clever work by Devonte Aransibia.

Two minutes before the interval, the Saints scored again. Joe Neal was sent clear, and Roberts rushed out to clear. Although he made the tackle, he didn’t get a clean strike on it, and it fell to Zane Banton 35 yards out. He steadied himself before floating it over the retreating defenders and into the empty net.

Jeffers might have scored again in first-half injury-time after Neal played him in, but Roberts made an excellent save.

Neal shot wide of the near post early in the second half before Welling had half chances but neither Manny Parry nor Papadopoulos could find the target.

Yaser Kasim came on for his debut as a substitute for the injured Kassarate but Welling struggled to create openings.

As the match headed towards the 90-minute mark, Johnson spilled it, Azeez nicked it away, and the Saints goalkeeper brought him down, but no penalty was awarded.

With virtually the last kick of the game, Jeffers added to his tally against the Wings, sweeping home following good work by George Morrell.

PICTURES: DAVE BUDDEN

Main Pic: Kyran Wiltshire objects to a tackle from substitute Yaser Kasim