Welling United make it an unbeaten September with 1-1 draw against Dover Athletic

28 September 2022 Sports Reporter

BY MARK DOIG

Warren Feeney’s Welling United finished their unbeaten September with a 1-1 draw at home to Dover Athletic.

His new-look Wings have settled together more quickly than he had dared to hope, and their solid progress has resulted in them ending the month in fifth place.

While six games unbeaten is a good return, Feeney will be slightly disappointed that in both the home game on Saturday against Havant and Waterlooville, and the Tuesday game against Dover, they held leads going into the final 10 minutes but had to settle for a point.

He had to make one change to his line-up against Dover with Rob Howard replacing the injured Aaron Barnes.

Stefan Payne reflects on a missed chance

There was little goalmouth action in the first-half with both teams deploying three central defenders and wing-backs. Taofiq Olomowewe headed over from Taylor Maloney’s corner for the Wings before Alfie Paxman could not keep his shot down for the visitors.

Stuart Nelson made the first save of the match when claiming a deflected Maloney free-kick and Welling continued to look the more likely in a first-half with limited goalmouth action. Ade Azeez and Olomowewe both had headers off target before Dover’s Lee Martin blasted a free-kick high over the bar just before half-time.

Amadou Kassarate continued to look dangerous down the right flank after the break and his whipped in cross was headed over by Stefan Payne before Chike Kandi shot over at the other end.

Rob Howard is bundled over by a defender

In a goalmouth scramble, Welling had two big shouts for a penalty for handball, the first looking more likely than the second, but referee Jack Packman showed no interest in pointing to the spot.

James Dunne hit a shot that looked destined for the top corner, but Nelson saved superbly, tipping it over, before Welling went ahead. Maloney delivered from the left and Manny Parry got in front of his marker and volleyed home with less than 15 minutes remaining.

Five minutes later, Dover levelled. A ball over the top sent Kandi away, and the Whites’ most dangerous player on the night held off his man and fired his team’s first shot on target into the bottom corner.

Neither side seemed intent on settling for a point and the match opened up. Payne drew a good save out of Nelson then Azeez was unable to finish from another low Kassarate cross.

At the other end, Myles Roberts made his first save of the match, and it was a brilliant one to thwart former Wing Luke Wanadio at the cost of Dover’s only corner of the evening. Paxman delivered it and Roberts was required to make another outstanding save as Alfie Payne met it with a firm downward header.

Chi Ezennolim came close to putting Welling back ahead in the last minute of regulation time, but his rasping drive struck the crossbar and went over.

Substitute Antony Papadopoulos arrived late but could only head over for Welling, however, they were thankful to Roberts who made one more fantastic save to keep out Payne’s stinging volley.