Mixed Bank Holiday weekend for Welling United

BY MARK DOIG

It was a bitter-sweet bank holiday weekend for Welling United.

On Saturday they were trounced 5-0 in a one-sided game at St Albans City but they rebounded to defeat Concord Rangers 2-1 in an open game on Monday.

At St Albans they made a wretched start and were 3-0 down with just 12 minutes on the board, all three goals scored by Shaun Jeffers.

His first goal was a dink over Murphy Mahoney when sent clear by John Goddard and his second was a close-range finish after Welling had failed to clear a cross.

Jeffers completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot after a disputed spot-kick was upheld.

Romeo Akinola twice went close after Mitchell Weiss had fired into the side netting, and Weiss again had a chance but his shot was pushed out by Mahoney.

After the break, the hosts still had the better of the exchanges but Jeffers was unable to finish after Mahoney parried another shot.

Weiss was thwarted by a last-ditch tackle for a corner which was headed wide by Tom Bender before Akinola made it four, although Welling felt that Kristian Campbell had prevented it from crossing the line.

There was no doubt about Akinola’s second goal a minute from time when he met a Jeffers cross and headed home from close range.

Having conceded early and late in their first three matches, Welling turned the table on Concord Rangers two days later.

Che Krabbendam opened the scoring for the Wings in the 10th minute when exchanging passes with Ben Allen and firing home.

Dipo Akinyemi then had a penalty saved well by Myles Roberts who went on to make a string of excellent saves, mostly from Allen.

Olumide Durojaiye kept Welling ahead with a header off the line when Temi Babalola met Daniel Green’s deep free kick before Roberts made a point-blank save from Krabbendam, pushing it on to the post and out.

In the second half, Bradley Pearce got on the end of a Durojaiye free-kick with a glancing header wide then Roberts again made a save to keep out Allen’s shot after Krabbendam and Akinyemi combined well.

Green fired wide of the near post at the end of a good Concord move before Lamar Reynolds broke through but his chip clipped the post on the way out.

Aron Pollock somehow failed to equalise when Babalola’s header found him but he could only knock it over with his knee from close range.

Eighteen minutes remained when the Beachboys levelled. Ross Crane crossed and the unfortunate Pearce could only head it into his own net.

Mahoney had to rush out to clear with a diving header before Welling came back and Allen was again foiled by another excellent Roberts save.

Saunders-Henry curled over at one end then Joseph Boachie fired over the angle at the other.

One minute into injury time, Welling claimed all three points when Saunders-Henry was given space and time at the edge of the area and he made no mistake when placing his shot beyond Roberts and into the bottom corner.

Welling are back in home action next Saturday when they entertain Slough Town at Park View Road.

PICTURES: DAVE BUDDEN