Welling United’s unbeaten run ended by in-form Oxford City

BY MARK DOIG

In a game that had a series of defining moments, Welling United’s mini unbeaten run was ended as they lost 3-0 at Oxford City.

It was always going to be a tough task for Warren Feeney’s team. Oxford are fourth in National League South, have an excellent home record and are unbeaten since Boxing Day. Coming into the game, they had only lost one in 15 league games and had a striker in form in Josh Parker, who had scored in his five previous games.

Feeney again had to make changes with Rob Howard and Aaron Powell both out, replaced by Aaron Barnes and Chi Ezennolim. Kodi Lyons-Foster and Medy Elito were able to return, replacing Manny Parry and Amadou Kassarate from the team that started against Cheshunt.

The visitors started brightly and were the better team for the first 30 minutes. George Alexander had a header tipped over by Nottingham Forest loanee goalkeeper Adnan Kanuric and Stefan Payne’s header was deflected over. The best that Oxford could manage were long-range shots by Lewis Coyle and Aaron Williams-Bushell that were saved easily by Myles Roberts.

Roberts has been arguably Welling’s player of the season so far and has been pivotal in Welling’s recent run, but he played an unwanted part in the first defining moment of the match. Klaidi Lolos was given space to shoot from distance. Although the Welling goalkeeper looked to have it covered it somehow dribbled under him and over the line.

There was little to choose between the teams for the remaining 15 minutes of the first half and defining moment two happened immediately after the half-time break with Welling conceding at the worst possible time. Lewis Coyle played Zac McEachran through far too easily and the experienced Oxford player slipped it beyond a helpless Roberts.

Ade Azeez headed over before defining moment three midway through the second half. Stefan Payne was brought down in the area and a penalty was awarded. The normally reliable Taylor Maloney stepped up but couldn’t find the corner and having guessed correctly, Kanuric got down to make the save.

After that, Welling never looked like threatening and conceded again in stoppage time. They gave possession away in their own half and it was slipped through to Parker. Unsurprisingly full of confidence, he was unerring with his finish that gave Roberts no chance.

On Monday, Welling host American Universities in an exhibition match before they travel to Slough Town on Saturday in their third consecutive league away game.

PICTURES: DAVE BUDDEN

Main Pic: Despair for the Wings as they concede again