Welling drop fears intensify after 4-0 thumping at Bath City
BY MARK DOIG
Defeat at Bath City completed back to back losses for Welling United who enter the festive period five points adrift of National League South match safety.
They have struggled in the West Country, but this performance was arguably their worst of the campaign and enabled the Romans to be the first club to complete a home and away double over them.
For the first quarter of the match the Wings were at least equals with their hosts, but then from their own corner they allowed Bath to break and score. After that, there were few signs that they would get anything out of the match.
In the opening spell, Welling goalkeeper Reice Charles-Cook made a good save from livewire Jordan Thomas before Ike Orji almost caught out Charles-Cook’s opposite number, Will Buse, with a cross that clipped the bar as it landed on the roof of the net.
Midway through the first half, Bath went ahead when a scuffed Welling corner was cleared allowing the hosts to break. Elliott Frear was given space down the left to clip in a cross that an unmarked Scott Wilson was able to glance a header inside the far post.
Frear then had a header kept out by the boot of Charles-Cook before Dan Hayfield made a mess of another Frear cross.
Danny Bloor, Welling’s manager, would have hoped that his team could limit Bath to a one goal lead at the half time break but that was not to be when, in stoppage time, Frear was again allowed to cross, Tom Smith headed down, and Jordan Thomas poked it home.
Bloor reacted by making a double change at the interval and the Welling supporters were given hope of an improved showing when they came close early in the second period. Kain Adom sent Tristan Abrahams through but Buse made himself big and blocked the shot with his chest.
That proved to be a false dawn as Welling were soon on the back foot again, and conceded in the ninth minute after the restart. Once again, Frear was the architect when allowed time to pick out his man from out wide, and he found an unmarked Hayfield who, this time, made no mistake with a firm header.
Jordan Dyer headed over and Thomas shot wide as Bath controlled the game without creating many further chances. However, they did add a fourth goal with three minutes remaining. Thomas burst into the penalty area and was tripped by Jephte Tanga. Cody Cooke took the responsibility and converted confidently.
Welling now have the Christmas double header with Dartford approaching and Bloor knows how important those games are to supporters of both teams.
PICTURES: DAVE BUDDEN