Taylor Maloney long-distance strike earned Welling a point at Bath City
BY MARK DOIG
It was a difficult evening for Welling United when they travelled to Bath City for a Friday night game but they returned home with a hard-earned point.
Wings manager Warren Feeney made three changes to the team beaten by Weymouth six days earlier. Kai McKenzie-Lyle replaced the injured Myles Roberts, Rob Howard started ahead of Aaron Barnes and Amadou Kassarate replaced Yaser Kasim.
Danny Greenslade had a long-range shot saved by a diving McKenzie-Lyle before Medy Elito found Stefan Payne, who spun Scott Wilson only to see Kiernan Parselle make a crucial block.
Elito shot over before Ade Azeez had to be withdrawn due to injury, and Antony Papadopoulos replaced him.
There was no further goal action in the first half, but it was clear that Kassarate was struggling – it came as no surprise when he did not come out after the break with Kasim taking his place.
Bath started the second half positively and a slick passing move sent Dan Hayfield in behind. McKenzie-Lyle was equal to it, though, and made an excellent low save. Luke Spokes clipped the bar with a shot on the turn before Papadopoulos fired over for Welling.
On the hour mark, the Romans went ahead. A clear foul on Taylor Maloney went unpunished, allowing the hosts to break. A Welling clearance struck another defender and fell into the path of Callum Ebanks, who hooked home.
Hayfield shot over for Bath, but it was Welling who had the better of the remainder of the match and they levelled with nine minutes remaining. Elito’s brilliance down the left-hand side gave him the opportunity to pick out Maloney, and he struck home superbly from 25 yards.
Maloney came close to winning it when his low shot was arrowing in before a deflection took it just wide of the post. Chi Ezennolim went on a marauding run, but he was knocked off balance and shot wide before Welling had one last chance. Payne laid it off to Kasim and his fierce near-post drive was saved brilliantly by Josh Gould.
Playing on a Friday night gives Welling an extra recovery day and they will want to make the most of it when they host Farnborough on Tuesday night.
PICTURES: MICHAEL BROWN