Welling United all but relegated from National League South after heavy defeat at Hampton & Richmond Borough

BY MARK DOIG

Yet another unsatisfactory Welling United performance left them all but relegated from the National League South.

Their 5-0 humbling at Hampton & Richmond Borough was tough to take for the travelling Welling supporters who have had little to cheer in the league since beating Worthing.

Manager Brian Statham made two changes from the team held at home by Hornchurch seven days earlier. Sam Cornish and Finn Ballard-McBride were brought in to replace Jack Burchell and the injured Harvey Walker. Midfielder TJ Bramble was asked to fill in at centre half in a back four, with four in midfield and two up front.

Zanda Siziba came close for the Beavers in the opening exchanges before he put them ahead in the fourth minute. Harry Gardner broke through one-on-one against Welling goalkeeper Rhys Lovett before squaring to Siziba, who rolled it into the net.

One minute later the two of them combined again, this time with the wide man being the creator when pulling back for Gardner to slot it home.

Sahid Kamara came close to pulling one back with a swirling shot that was saved brilliantly by Max Merrick before Lovett made a more comfortable one from Lovett.

Mauro Vilhete landed an effort onto the roof of the net before the hosts went three up on the half-hour mark. Gardner caught Jez Davies in possession and steadied himself before firing into the top corner.

Merrick made an unorthodox save from Ballard-McBride before the first half drew to a close. Statham reacted by making a triple substitution. Ballard-McBride, Martell Taylor-Crossdale and Maxwell Statham, who took a knock just before the break, were replaced by Daniel Martin who was returning from injury, Deon Moore and Burchell.

Martin almost made an immediate impact when bursting down the wing before crossing to Josh Redfearn. He laid it back for Davies and he lined up Cornish whose shot arrowed just the wrong side of the far post.

Hopes that the Wings’ followers might have harboured of a better second period were dashed seven minutes in when Gardner completed his hat-trick by heading home from close range after Lovett had pushed out a powerful shot by James Roberts.

Moore came close for Welling when his shot was blocked on the line by Mike Atkinson before ricocheting onto the post and out then the Wings appeared to be robbed of a goal as Josh Redfearn’s effort hit the inside of the post, flew across goal and hit the frame behind the other post, and was clawed out by Merrick. Much to the bemusement of Redfearn, the assistant referee failed to notify the referee that it had crossed the line and he allowed the game to continue.

Atkinson might have added a fifth for the Beavers but Martin made a brilliant challenge forcing him to prod wide of a gaping net.

Tyrese Briscoe and Scott Kashket replaced Kamara and Redfearn and the former had a shot deflected wide before Hampton completed their nap hand with fifteen minutes remaining. Jonathan Page broke through easily and although Lovett, exposed yet again, got down well to save, Mauro Vilhete was on hand to roll it home.

Kashket netted but was deemed to be offside in the closing minutes but it would have been far too little, far too late.

Defeat for Salisbury elsewhere meant that Welling will go into the Easter period with a mathematical chance of avoiding the drop but, in truth, it only served to delay the inevitable.

PICTURE: DAVE BUDDEN