Eastleigh 4 Welling United 2 – FA Cup dream is over for Wings

BY MARK DOIG

Bad starts to each half cost Welling United dearly in their FA Cup replay at Eastleigh.

Scott Rendell converted penalties early in each period as Welling’s cup run came to an end.

Eastleigh had already had the ball in the Welling net twice to no avail before Rendell converted his first spot kick when Ejiro Okosieme was adjudged to have fouled after Connor Dymond had done well to head off the line.

However, Adam Coombes levelled on twenty minutes when heading home Jack Jebb’s fizzing free kick.

Bradley Goldberg headed over from a Sanchez Ming cross before Eastleigh restored their lead. Dan Wilks made an excellent save from Dan Hollands’ header but Ben Williamson was quick on his toes to bundle the loose ball over the line.

Coombes fired over from twenty yards before Tom Bearwish couldn’t keep a header down at the other end.

As the first half came to a close Anthony Cook went on a powerful run down but his cross evaded Goldberg and the angle was too tight for Coombes and he fired into the side netting.

Having finished the first half well, Welling were again slow out of the blocks and when an awkward bounce caused Okosieme to handle, Rendell again converted from the spot, this time via the inside post.

Bearwish was then left unmarked in the penalty area and he had time to stoop to head home from close range when he met Jack Payne’s cross.

Max Strylek made saves from Goldberg, Coombes and Nathan Green before Aaron Cosgrave forged into the penalty area, appeared to have lost it but then won it back only to fire into the side netting from a threatening position.

Four minutes remained when Cook reduced the arrears when finding the top corner from out wide.

Sam Smart had a shot blocked out by Wilks before Welling came close to getting back within one goal when Rob Atkinson was the man on the spot to head Green’s header off the line.

Although Welling threw everything at it with Rob Swaine playing as an additional striker, it was too little too late and Welling were left to rue the penalty that was not given for the foul on Cook late in the first game.

Welling United: Wilks, Ming, Anderson, Dymond, Swaine, Okosieme, Jebb (Agyemang 75), Waldren (Cosgrave 61), Goldberg (Green 70), Coombes, Cook. Subs not used: Copeland, McCallum, Oyinsan, Widdrington.