Welling United soared to three points on Saturday afternoon as George Alexander’s first-half hat-trick set the Wings on their way to victory at Slough Town.
The 21-year old enjoyed a red-hot afternoon in front of goal, bagging three goals before the half-time whistle had blown and putting his side in the driving seat for a comfortable second half on the way to a win on the road.
The Wings started on the front foot and got their rewards by taking the lead in the fourth minute.
Ade Azeez was played through one-on-one and saw his early side-footed effort bounce wide, but it was from the resulting goal-kick that the visitors capitalised.
Losing possession as they attempted to play out from the back, the ball fell straight to Alexander who picked his spot and firmly finished into the bottom left-hand corner for his second goal in Welling colours.
The Rebels looked to respond with a series of shots from distance which Myles Roberts got right behind, but the home side did come close when Elliot Benyon glanced a header inches wide from a left-wing cross.
Just after the half-hour mark, however, the Wings pulled clear of their hosts as Alexander caught fire in front of goal, bagging two more in three minutes to secure his hat-trick.
First, the Bromley loanee got on the end of Azeez’s knockdown with his back to goal and adjusted brilliantly to hook a shot over his shoulder and looping over the keeper to nestle in the net.
Moments later, Alexander capitalised on another defensive error, pouncing on the ball to fire home yet another brilliant finish to complete his first-half treble.
Welling had the luxury of being able to manage the game at their own pace for the second half and they were happy to continue to keep Slough at an arm’s length, limiting them to shots from range, although Roberts was called into action on the hour mark when he made a fantastic save to claw Louis Walsh’s long-ranger out of the top left-hand corner.
In the 69th minute, Roberts stood up to a bit of a goalmouth scramble after an initial shot had been hacked off the line and the Wings’ stopper made a pair of vital last-ditch punches in a crowded goalmouth to clear the danger and keep his sheet clean.
The home side through more forwards as the half progressed and Roberts made another fine save at close quarters to keep Temi Eweka at bay as he raced into a good position in the box from the right.
Warren Feeney’s men continued to defend astutely as the clock ticked towards 90 and the win means that Welling have now surpassed their total points tally from last season with 16 games still to play.
Slough Town: Dennis, Jackman, Dandy, Togwell, Amartey (Obi 9), Leach, Benyon, Goddard, Davies (Walsh 46), Eweka, Dobson (Shubbar 60).
Subs (not used): Forster, George.
Booked: Eweka 79 (unsporting behaviour)
Welling United: Roberts, Howard, Lyons-Foster, Sendles-White, Powell, Curran (Barnes 65), Kassarate, Elito, Maloney, Alexander (Lisbie 84), Azeez (Parry 90+6).
Subs (not used): McKenzie-Lyle, Andrews.
Booked: Curran 50 (foul), Maloney 77 (dissent), Kassarate 79 (unsporting behaviour), Roberts 80 (time wasting), Lisbie 90+3 (obstruction)
Goal: Alexander 4, 34, 37
Referee: Kirsty Dowle
Att: TBC
