Welling lose 2-1 to National League South strugglers Weymouth

BY MARK DOIG

For the third time in eight days Welling United let an early let slip when they entertained Weymouth.

In their FA Trophy match against Havant & Waterlooville they had been two up, pegged back, but still went on to win. Then on Tuesday night in the Kent Senior Cup against Sittingbourne, their second-string side lost a two-goal lead but went through on penalties.

However, against Weymouth, their early advantage was cancelled out before the Dorset club, who are bottom of the National League South, went on to claim a second-half winner.

Keelan O’Connell should have done better for the visitors in the early exchanges but shot wide when well placed before Welling went ahead. Chi Ezennolim showed power and skill before pulling back for Stefan Payne, who guided it into the bottom corner.

Yaser Kasim then had a couple of opportunities, first having a shot saved by Zaki Oualah in the Weymouth goal, and then shooting fractionally wide of the near post.

All looked to be going well for the Wings until they conceded a free-kick on the edge of their own penalty area. Myles Roberts did well to push away Tom Blair’s free-kick but despite manager Warren Feeney’s yells to mark at the near post, Brendan Wilson rose unchallenged to head home from O’Connell’s corner.

Blair had another effort brilliantly tipped on to the bar and over by Roberts before O’Connell’s delivery picked out Ahkeem Rose, but he headed wide.

Taylor Maloney had the last chance of the half when set up by Medy Elito but his attempt to steer it inside the far post was unsuccessful and it went just wide.

Payne thought that he had restored Welling’s lead early in the second period when collecting Maloney’s pass and shooting into the bottom corner only for the referee to disallow it for a perceived handball as the Welling striker controlled it.

Roberts was then busy, making saves from Luke Nippard and Tom Bearwish, before O’Connell shot wide. Blair drew another save from Roberts and it came as no surprise when Weymouth went ahead. Welling had a corner that was defended well. It came out to Bradley Ash who broke down the win before finding Rose, one of two men unmarked in the middle, and he gave Roberts no chance with a cool finish.

It worsened for the Wings six minutes later when a loose pass drew Roberts into racing out to clear as Ash converged. It looked as though Roberts had got there first but the referee deemed otherwise and dismissed the Welling goalkeeper for denying the Terras a goalscoring opportunity. Elito was sacrificed with Kai McKenzie-Lyle deputising in goal.

Although the substitute goalkeeper was not tested, Weymouth kept Welling at bay until the closing minutes when Payne dragged his shot wide.

One more chance came Welling’s way in stoppage time when Maloney showed tremendous technique to get a shot away from 20 yards, only to see it clatter the crossbar and fly over.

PICTURES: DAVE BUDDEN

Main Pic: Wings keeper Myles Roberts gets a red card