Non-league round-up: Statham delight at vital win for Welling – Cray Valley lose to Lewes
edmund@slpmedia.co.uk
Welling United gave themselves a lifeline in their bid to stay in the National League South after beating leaders Worthing 2-0 at Park View Road on Saturday.
A brace from Gene Kennedy gave caretaker boss Brian Statham his first win since taking over following Rod Stringer’s resignation.
The Wings have six league games left this season and are five points from safety.
“I’m absolutely thrilled,” Statham told the club’s YouTube channel.
“There obviously would have been doubt amongst fans, those watching from afar and maybe some of our players would have doubted if we would have got a result today.
“We were really positive around the psychology and the thinking of how we could beat them.
“We had a 15-minute chat before the game where we showed them some moments in football history where nothing is impossible.
“They have listened to everything we have asked from them today and it’s taken 97 minutes to win 2-0 and keep a clean sheet – it was fully deserved.
“They’re a good side, there is no doubt about that, but they just didn’t get into the areas they have done throughout the season.
“We asked them to turn it into a bit of a war really, because we knew what a good side they are.
“If we were able to disrupt the flow and the rhythm of the game, it would have allowed us to get on the counter.”
Welling head to mid-table Chesham on Saturday.
Statham said: “When you’re a fan and you have watched us all season, you would have come to the game against Worthing for a drink and a social, not many people were expecting us to come away with a point.
“But to come away with three and witness that performance, I like to think there will be an awful lot of them coming and watching us next week.”
Cray Valley PM missed out on the chance to extend their advantage in the Isthmian League Premier Divison play-off race after a heavy 4-1 defeat at Lewes.
Adam Coombes scored the only goal of the game for Steve McKimm’s side as they stayed fourth and four points off sixth-placed Chichester City, who are just outside the play-offs.
“The better side won and they deserved their win,” said McKimm.
“Our players didn’t follow what they were told to do at the start, so we gave them a two-goal start in the first 10 minutes.
“If you do that to any team, you’re going to find it hard. We made some substitutions and got back into it, but we let a ball in our six-yard box and then they scored from a free header.
“We didn’t work their keeper a lot and our final bits of quality in the final third were nowhere near it.
“We got beaten by the better team and we have to take that on the chin.”
Cray Wanderers got off to a winning start to life after Neil Smith as they saw off Bowers & Pitsea 4-0.
Ex-Bromley boss Smith, who had been in charge for three years, left last Friday to join League One side Crawley as Scott Lindsey’s assistant manager.
Smith’s assistant manager at Cray – Tim O’Shea – was placed in charge until the end of the season.
A first-half goal from Ike Orji and Nyren Clunis’ hat-trick gave the Wands all three points and relegated Bowers & Pitsea.
Dulwich Hamlet stayed nine points clear of the Isthmian League Premier Divison relegation zone but suffered a 1-0 defeat at play-off hopefuls Dover.
Bradley Quinton’s side host league leaders Dartford this weekend.
PICTURES: DAVE BUDDEN AND ROB AVIS
