Already relegated Welling United suffer heavy defeat at Chelmsford
BY MARK DOIG
Already relegated Welling United crashed to another heavy defeat when visiting Chelmsford City.
Brian Statham, the Wings’ caretaker manager, had little room for manoeuvre when selecting his squad with only fourteen fit players available. However, he was able to offer a full league debut to striker Tyrese Briscoe.
As has been the case far too often this season, Welling went behind before the game had started to take shape. Jacob Bland played it inside to Charlie Ruff and his trickery allowed him to make space before firing into the bottom corner.
Briscoe then made his first impression with a low drive that was pushed round the post by Chelmsford goalkeeper Ted Collins. Rhys Lovett, at the other end, was also called upon when making a good save from Bland before Gene Kennedy shot just wide for the Wings.
Shortly after the half-hour mark, Ruff scored his second. Former Millwall academy centre-half Arthur Penney nodded across goal and the Chelmsford captain headed home from close range.
He then missed the chance to complete his hat-trick when Nico Valentine was brought down in the penalty and he planted his spot kick wide having sent Lovett the wrong way.
Injury woes for the Wings got worse when Jack Burchell and Briscoe both had to be replaced before half time, with Scott Kashket and Josh Redfearn coming on.
Both made an impact early in the second half. Kashket drew a double save out of Collins before the Clarets’ custodian blotted his copybook. Redfearn chased a long pass and Collins couldn’t decide whether to kick it away or wait for it to enter the penalty area and pick it up. In the end he did neither and Redfearn took it away from him and rolled it into the empty net.
Lovett made an excellent save from a Kane Crichlow free kick before blocking an effort by Valentine. However, he was powerless to stop the hosts from scoring ten minutes into the half when Welling were unable to clear a corner and Ruaridh Donaldson fired into the bottom corner from the edge of the penalty area.
Bland had a shot blocked by the legs of Lovett before Jez Davies had an attempt held by Collins. A Kashket shot was pushed wide by the Chelmsford goalkeeper before Jazzi Barnum-Bobb blocked Redfearn’s goal-bound shot.
Freddie Hockey added a fourth for Chelmsford with a close-range finish ten minutes from time, and Archie Tamplin rounded off the scoring four minutes later when tucking home Sam Oguntayo’s diagonal pass at the far post.
That took Welling’s league goals conceded to 90 with one game remaining before a disastrous season draws to a close.
