Welling United 6 Braintree Town 2 – Wings end winless spell in style with big win
BY MARK DOIG
Welling United ended a miserable winless period with an impressive six goal performance against Braintree Town.
Prior to the game, Welling had gone eight league and cup games without a win and five league games without a goal. However in this game they came out all guns blazing and the players from years gone by, who were special guests of the club, must have wondered what the fuss was about.
Korrey Henry, on loan from Bromley, had a field day. Last season he scored five goals from fourteen games for Braintree. On Saturday he scored four times against the Iron.
It was a game where both sides had spells on top although the most defining one was the first half an hour in which the contest was all but ended.
Even when Welling went ahead in the seventh minute, they had already drawn three good saves out of Braintree goalkeeper Michael Johnson. He saved twice from Theo Widdrington either side of one from a Rob Swaine header.
However, they were not to be denied and Joe Anderson picked out Swaine with a free kick and the Welling captain headed back across goal for Widdrington to bundle home.
Sanchez Ming’s run and cross created the second when it was headed back into the danger area by Nathan Green and Korrey Henry volleyed home in style.
Anthony Cook made it three with a free kick that Johnson looked to have covered but allowed it to slip through then Henry added his second with a powerful drive from the edge of the penalty area.
Widdrington might have made it five but his glancing header from Cook’s cross went just wide before a bit of Welling show boating appeared to ruffle Braintree’s feathers and they had the remainder of the first half.
Femi Akinwade hit the inside of the post but former Wing Rhys Murrell-Williamson was unable to force home the rebound then Jason Banton clipped the crossbar with a free kick.
Henry shot wide for Welling when looking to complete a first half hat-trick before Braintree pulled one back through a good finish by Ade Cole.
The pendulum swung back into Welling’s favour after the break and Henry scored his third five minutes into the second half. He went on a strong run run and the referee did well not to blow his whistle as he kept going despite being fouled twice. However the third one was committed in the area and resulted in the award of a clear penalty. Henry stood patiently through the delaying tactics designed to distract him before he sent Johnson the wrong way.
Ming was the sent off in the aftermath of a melee in which Braintree player-manager Jake Hutchings reacted badly to Widdrington not allowing a quick throw to be taken and bundled him over the perimeter wall. Despite being short handed Welling had a further chance but Swaine’s header from Montel Agyemang’s corner was saved before Braintree enjoyed another spell on top.
Akinwade reduced the arrears with a good finish after being slipped in and then brought two saves out of Dan Wilks, the second of which was an acrobatic tip-over
Hutchings headed wide from Cole’s corner then Banton brought a comfortable save out of Wilks however Welling looked dangerous on the counter attack and wrapped up the scoring one minute before time. Aaron Cosgrave and Henry had a two on one against Hutchings and Cosgrave timed his pass perfectly. Henry checked back and went past the Iron’s player-manager and fired home beyond Johnson.
Beaten Braintree’s misery was compounded in injury time when a terrible tackle by Tyler Christian-Law on Swaine resulted in a straight red card.
Welling United: Wilks, Ming, Anderson, Dymond, Swaine, Okosieme (Rich-Baghuelou 46), Cook, Agyemang (Waldren 70), Henry, Widdrington, Green (Cosgrave 72). Subs not used: Anau, Goldberg.
PICTURES BY DAVE BUDDEN
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