Welling United 4 Tavistock AFC 1 – Goldberg hat-trick helps Wings progress in FA Cup

BY MARK DOIG

A first-half Bradley Goldberg hat-trick ensured Welling United F.A. Cup victory over Tavistock A.F.C..

Although nowhere near their fluent best, the Wings had more than enough for their Devon based visitors who did not help their cause when having two sent off in the second half.

Luke Brown had the shot for the visitors but Dan Wilks made a comfortable save.

Lambs goalkeeper Josh Oak made an east save from Goldberg’s effort from a Nathan Green cross before Welling went ahead. Green sent Goldberg away and he slid it into the bottom corner.

Theo Widdrington tried to catch Oak out from just inside the Tavistock half but his shot drifted wide as Welling struggled to create clear cut chances and Ben Cross missed a good chance to level from a cross by Brown.

Any Welling nerves were eased when Goldberg scored twice in five minutes. First Green played him through again and his first touch gave him options to shoot either side and he fired home.

Then he completed his hat-trick when Welling moved the ball well across the penalty area for Goldberg to score with a slide-rule finish.

However, two minutes before the break, the Lambs gave themselves some hope when the impressive Jack Crago cut in from the left wing and fired inside the far post.

Within a minute of the restart their hopes were left in tatters when Cross flew in on Danny Waldren with studs raised and the referee wasted no time in sending him off for the disgraceful challenge.

Oak made a great save from Goldberg’s measured header before Widdrington and Adam Coombes both fired well over.

Tavistock’s dream was then finished completely when Josh Robins flew in out of control on Connor Dymond and was dismissed to join his team-mate in the changing room.

Mark Goldberg made a triple substitution to give some of his other squad members a run out and one of the replacements, Josh Oyinsan, had the ball in the net with his first touch but it was disallowed for a foul.

After Jack Jebb shot wide, Oyinsan scored his first Welling goal. He and Cosgrave tried to work a shooting opportunity before it fell to him to fire home.

Jebb met an Anthony Cook cross with a first time volley but Oak made a good block before Goldberg somehow fired over an empty net after Oyinsan did well to head back Cosgrave’s cross.

Further chances came and went when Oak made an incredible double save from Goldberg then it was Jebb’s turn to be thwarted by Jebb.

Cosgrave then went down with a hamstring injury and limped off leaving Welling with ten men but they still created and missed one more chance. Cook went on a thrilling run but fired over.

The reward for winning was another home draw with National League Eastleigh visiting on Saturday 19th October.

Welling United: Wilks, Dymond, Anderson, Widdrington (Jebb 68), Swaine, Okosieme, Cook, Waldren, Goldberg, Coombes (Oyinsan 68), Green (Cosgrave 68). Subs not used: Copeland, Agyemang, Rich-Baghuelou.