Welling suffer narrow defeat at Dorking as midfielder TJ Bramble plays in goal for over an hour
BY MARK DOIG
Another tight game went against Welling United as they fell to defeat at Dorking Wanderers.
Having won their previous two matches, Welling manager Rod Stringer only made one change with TJ Bramble coming in to replace Martell Taylor-Crossdale in what looked like a four-four-one-one formation.
However, Bramble would not have expected to have to spend the last hour of the match in goal.
Alfie Rutherford, who had already put the hosts ahead, flew in on an awful challenge on Rhys Lovett that left them both feeling the aftereffects and having to be replaced. The current trend is to not have a goalkeeper on the bench. Welling’s backup keeper Javarn Pitterson is recovering from an injury anyway, so an outfield player had to go in goal for the Wings, and Bramble put his hand up to do the job.
Jack Young had the first goal attempt of the match when his shot for the hosts dribbled wide before a Jason Prior strike drew a diving save out of Lovett. It wasn’t all one-way traffic, though, and Chiori Johnson came close for the Wings when set up by Gene Kennedy, but his shot skimmed the crossbar on the way over.
Had that gone in, the outcome might have been different as Dorking went straight up to the other end and scored. There was a hint of offside in the build up but the assistant referee did nor raise his flag and when Lovett was unable to hold it, Prior crossed for Rutherford to tap in.
Bramble and Elliot Long both drew good saves out of Harrison Foulkes before Rutherford clattered Lovett leading to a long delay in play before both had to be withdrawn. In all, eleven minutes of stoppage time were added before Stringer and assistant manager, Kevin Watson, could give their team instructions on how to protect their goal whilst looking for a leveller.
After the break, Dorking would have been expected to launch in high crosses to test the emergency goalkeeper. However, the wide Wings’ defenders did so well that Bramble only had to claim one centre in the entre second half, and he did so confidently, The hosts also failed to win a single corner in the time that Bramble was between the posts.
He was called upon to make a couple of low saves early in the second half, though, and did so as an outfield player would when kicking shots from Jimmy Muitt and Josh Brooking off the line.
Anointed Chukwu then had a half chance for Welling but fired over after a high bounce on the artificial surface had made it harder.
Twelve minutes remained when the Wanderers scored a crucial second with a goal that would have beaten the best of goalkeepers. Theo Alexandrou flicked it over Johnson and smashed it into the top corner.
Another unorthodox save by Bramble followed when he again used his left boot to kick a Brooking shot out before Welling pulled one back with six minutes remaining. Tony Craig passed back to Foulkes and, instead of kicking it away, he chose to pick it up resulting in an indirect free kick inside the penalty area. Kennedy laid it back to Chukwu whose low drive was diverted in by Johnson.
Substitute Charlie Pegrum fired over as Welling probed for an equaliser before Chukwu had a shot saved in stoppage time.
Shortly afterwards, the referee ended the game and Welling were beaten. It wasn’t through a lack of effort though, and Stringer will be pleased that his starters can rest for a week after three tough games in an eight day spell.
PICTURES: DAVE BUDDEN