Welling United win 3-2 against Havant & Waterlooville in FA Trophy

BY MARK DOIG

Despite letting a two-goal lead slip, Welling United stood up to a physical Havant and Waterlooville to progress in the FA Trophy.

It was a second-round tie that would have had the managers of both sides groaning when the draw was made. The Hawks are in second place in the National League South and came into the match undefeated away from home while Warren Feeney’s club sit in a congested mid-table, four points outside the play-off zone.

Two previous games between the two clubs at Park View Road since Feeney’s appointment had finished in 2-2 draws. In both cases Havant equalised late on, and this game was equally competitive.

Ade Azeez drew first blood in the 12th minute. Yaser Kasim wrongfooted the Havant defence allowing Sam Cox to overlap. Stefan Payne met his low cross but Jake McCarthy blocked his close-range effort. It came out to Azeez, whose initial effort was cleared off the line, but it came back to him, and he forced it home.

Medy Elito headed over a Taylor Maloney corner before Welling doubled their lead. Kai McKenzie-Lyle took a free-kick from wide on the left, Payne headed it on, and Azeez lobbed Brad House in the Havant goal, leaving him helpless.

James Roberts got behind Cox, who pulled up with a hamstring strain, and drew an excellent save out of McKenzie-Lyle, who recovered quickly to smother as Danny Wright followed up.

Welling’s high press continued to trouble the left-hand side of the Havant defence. McCarthy made a brilliant tackle to thwart Maloney after Payne had dispossessed Joe Oastler than Kasim nicked it away from Joe Newton to find Payne whose shot was pushed around the post by House.

Gianni Crichlow shot over for the visitors from a tight angle before they pulled one back with the last kick of the first half. Oastler knocked a deep corner back into the penalty area, Jason Prior flicked it on and Danny Wright finished from close range.

After 20 minutes of the second half, Welling came close to regaining their two-goal lead when House dropped a cross, but Maloney slipped when about to fire home. That could have been costly as Havant levelled shortly after. Prior crossed low from the right, and it hit Jamie Sendles-White and flew off him into the net.

The Wings came back and deserved to go back ahead with 13 minutes remaining when Aaron Barnes, who had replaced Cox, found Maloney whose fierce shot came back out off the bar for Payne to follow up with a header into the empty net.

Payne might have added a fourth when James Dunne and Maloney combined to send him clear, but he slid it just beyond the far post. However, it did not matter as Havant were unable to fashion another clear-cut chance despite five minutes of stoppage time being added.

PICTURE: DAVE BUDDEN