St Albans City 1 Welling United 2 – Akinyemi brace as he enjoys return to former club
BY MARK DOIG
Dipo Akinyemi followed up his first Welling United goal one week earlier with a brace at one of his former clubs, St Albans City.
He had not had the best of times since joining from Dulwich Hamlet but a combination of new manager Bradley Quinton’s style and maybe the Hertfordshire air (his previous goal was at Hemel Hempstead Town) appear to be bringing the best out of him. He could easily have had a hat-trick but was foiled by a sensational save by Saints’ goalkeeper Dean Snedker.
There was a swirling wind at Clarence Park and the pitch was quite heavy but Welling adjusted well and worked very hard for a well deserved three points to pull them further away from the relegation zone whilst leaving the hosts on the precipice of the drop zone.
They should have gone ahead in the first minute. Aaron Cosgrave was sent clear and rounded Snedker but was unable to slot home with his weaker right foot.
Joe Iaciofano sliced a shot wide for the hosts then, at the other end, Bradley Goldberg found Diaz Wright but he fired over. Goldberg was unable to control a long diagonal ball by Cameron James before Iaciofano was gifted a shot at goal by a miscued clearance but curled wide with that side of the goal open.
That proved costly for the hosts as Welling went ahead from their next forage forward, just short of the half hour mark. After Akinyemi’s header was blocked wide, Anthony Cook delivered a teasing corner that was half cleared as far as Akinyemi and he fired crisply into the bottom corner.
David Noble was off target for the Saints with a free kick but Welling finished the first half on top and a long shot by Akinyemi drew a low save out of Snedker.
Early in the second half Goldberg’s low cross towards the far post almost found Harold Joseph but he couldn’t quite reach it as he threw himself at it.
However Welling went further ahead soon after when Akinyemi cut in from the wing and his twenty five yard shot took a deflection to give Snedker no chance.
Three minutes later, the hosts pulled one back when Iaciofano took advantage of a misdirected header and he finished from close range.
Snedker made a great save from Korrey Henry and Goldberg had a shot deflected wide before the St. Albans stopper showed what a good goalkeeper he is. He made a superb point blank range save from Goldberg and it flew up to Akinyemi who thought that he had headed home his hat-trick but Snedker was quickly up off the ground to make a stunning save.
Jefferson Louis drew a save out of Dan Wilks who had started to go the wrong way but adjusted quickly to get down well to save.
No further chances were created by the hosts as the Welling defence contained them well and soon after Quinton and his team were celebrating inflicting the Saints’ first home defeat for three months.
Welling United: Wilks, Dymond, Johnson, Crichlow-Noble, Joseph, Wright, Cook, James, Akinyemi (Coombes 80), Goldberg (Roberts 85), Cosgrave (Henry 66)). Subs not used: Krabbendam, McCallum.
PICTURES BY DAVE BUDDEN