By Mark Doig

Work in progress Welling United went down to defeat at home to newly promoted Worthing.

There were no starters in the Wings’ side who played in the 2021-22 season and despite most being involved in the pre-season programme, it was clear that the team will need a few more competitive games to really gel.

Warren Feeney made five changes to the team that drew at Taunton Town one week earlier and he will continue to look to find the right formula.

Before the sizeable crowd had settled down, there were goals at each end. Joel Colbran was given room down the right wing and his cross was turned in by Callum Kealy. Immediately, at the other end, Medy Elito was played in down Worthing’s left and he slipped in Tyrique Hyde to score his first Wings goal.

Myles Roberts held on well to a drive from Kane Wills before Worthing went back ahead just shy of the twenty-minute mark. Lewis White brought down Ollie Pearce’s pass, and slotted home.

Five minutes later, Welling’s task became that much more difficult when Joe Rye headed home a deep free kick. However, the Wings responded when Ade Azeez controlled a cross and lashed home.

Elito couldn’t head an Azeez cross home when markers were in close attention before Azeez came close to levelling when turning and shooting only for Harrison Male to make a great save when tipping it onto the bar.

Roberts had one more first half save to make, keeping out a shot from Nordibek Bobomurodon, before the teams went into the changing rooms at half time for fifteen minutes out of the searing sunrays.

Early in the second period Ollie Pearce drove across the face of goal but Kealy couldn’t turn it home. However, he did claim his second just short of the hour mark. White claimed possession on the right wing, drilled it across the penalty area and Kealy did the rest.

Substitute Ashley Nzala was found by Stefan Payne, but he was thwarted by the legs of Male before firing over from the rebound. He then burst away when a Worthing corner was cleared but could not keep his effort down.

Kealy looked like he was going to complete his hat-trick when bursting through, but Roberts was out quickly to deny him by smothering his shot. As the clock ticked down then a Stefan Payne cross clattered the Worthing bar and with it Welling’s last chance was gone.

Welling United: Roberts, Howard, Dickens, Dunne, Olomowewe, Parry, Maloney (Ezennolim 73), Hyde (Kassarate 73), Azeez, Payne, Elito (Nzala 61)

Subs not used: Jackson, Papadopoulos.

Goalscorers: Hyde 5, Azeez 30

Yellow cards: Payne, Howard

Worthing: Male, Colbran, Racine, Wills, Rye, Beresford, White (Myles Meekums 67), Armstrong (McCloud 72), Kealy, Pearce, Bobomurodov (Tutt 46)

Subs not used: Barker, Adam

Goalscorers: Kealy 4, 58, White 19, Rye 25

Yellow cards: White, Pearce

Featured image by Dave Budden

Both Warren Feeney and Wings skipper, James Dunne spoke shared their thoughts with Wings TV after the game.