All change at Welling United as financial cuts see player and management staff let go
In a week that started with Welling United players and management staff departing, the Wings ended it with a 1-0 home victory over Eastbourne Borough.
Financial cuts meant that John Paul Kissock was released to join Whitehawk while Matt Paterson has signed for Havant and Waterlooville.
Yannis Ambroisine, Zach Newton and Richard Orlu have gone out on loan. Caden Genovesi’s loan from QPR has also ended.
Welling owner Mark Goldberg put a statement in the match programme explaining that early cup exits were a contributory factor. He added: “This, combined with reduced sponsorship income and crowd figures that have not improved, means that in order to balance the books, we now need to make a reduction in our playing budget.”
Manager Steve King also had to let first-team coach Osei Sankofa and goalkeeping coach Larry Raji leave the club.
Injuries continue to handicap Welling and they were only able to name 14 players for their league game with Eastbourne.
Eastbourne had the first opportunity – and probably their best of the whole match – when Lloyd Dawes headed wide from Charlie Walker’s cross.
Welling’s Gavin McCallum fired over after creating the opening for himself before Arnaud Mendy found Bradley Goldberg but he scuffed his shot and it went wide.
Former Wing Ryan Hall was off target before Welling thought that they should have had a penalty. Brendan Kiernan went down in the penalty area but was cautioned for diving.
Goldberg had a shot blocked out by the chest of Harry Ransom and Thierry Audel headed wide from McCallum’s well-delivered corner.
Danny McNamara, on loan from Millwall, had the last chance of the half but fired over.
Eastbourne had the Park View Road slope in the second half but Welling’s excellent defence reduced them to long-range wild shots.
Welling stretched Eastbourne’s back four and they scored the decisive goal with 15 minutes remaining.
Kiernan tricked his way into the penalty area before being tripped by Tom Gardiner. Regular penalty taker Goldberg had been substituted – Kiernan sending Sam Howes the wrong way.
McNamara went on another surging run down the wing and although his cross was half-cleared it allowed Jack Barham, on loan from Barnet until the end of the season, to fire in a shot that Sam Howes saved.
Barham tried his luck once more in the closing minutes but again Howes saved.
Pics by Dave Budden
Everyone at the South London Press thanks you for your continued support.
Former Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick has encouraged everyone in the country who can afford to do so to buy a newspaper, and told the Downing Street press briefing:
“A FREE COUNTRY NEEDS A FREE PRESS, AND THE NEWSPAPERS OF OUR COUNTRY ARE UNDER SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL PRESSURE”
If you can afford to do so, we would be so grateful if you can make a donation which will allow us to continue to bring stories to you, both in print and online. Or please make cheques payable to “MSI Media Limited” and send by post to South London Press, Unit 112, 160 Bromley Road, Catford, London SE6 2NZ
