Welling United 2-0 Torquay United
Welling produced their best performance of the season to inflict defeat on table toppers Torquay United. In doing so it was The Wings first back to back wins since October as Manager Steve King saw his side play with heart and determination against a side he predicted would go onto win the title.
Torquay had a glorious chance as early as the 2nd minute Saikou Janneh heading a Jake Andrews’ cross over from close range. As the away side were quickly out of the blocks. The Wings were dealt a blow in the 12th minute as influential defender Thierry Audel pulled up with a groin strain that is likely to keep him out for a few weeks. Richard Orlu replaced him.
A deep free kick into the area was met by Richard Orlu and headed goalwards but the ball was hooked away for a corner. The Wings then came even closer when Arnuad Mendy met a cross into the box with a powerful header that was somehow clawed off the goal line by Gulls keeper McDonald for a wonderful instinctive save. Richard Orlu followed up but put the rebound wide.
A big talking point occurred in the 28th minute. Dan Wilks rushed from his goal to break up a Torquay attack and in doing so fouled Jake Andrews with a lunge tackle some ten yards outside of the area. The Torquay players swarmed the referee wishing for a red card, but a yellow card was brandished.
Connor Lemonheigh-Evans took the free kick but blasted the ball over the bar.
The Wings were restricting Torquay to shots from outside the area and Reid was next to try his luck but his effort went wide.
With the game drifting towards half time, in stoppage time of the first half Welling took the lead. David Ijaha played a clever ball out of midfield which caught the Torquay defence cold, Jack Barham latched onto the ball before seeing a stranded Shaun McDonald off his line and cooly lobbed the ball over the keeper and into the net for a smart finish. As Welling now had a lead to hold going into half time.
Two minutes into the 2nd half, Torquay missed a glorious chance. The away side hit a quick counter and the ball found Jake Andrews but he put his effort wide with just Wilks to beat.
It was a big moment as in the 50th minute Welling doubled their lead, Brendan Kiernan did ever so well to beat his man and get to the byline. He pulled the ball back for David Ijaha who smashed the ball into the top corner from 20 yards out to send PVR wild.
A shell shocked Torquay side tried to rally and Connor Lemonheigh-Evans again let fly but Dan Wilks was equal to his effort. The Gulls then missed another great opportunity the ball was piled through to Jamie Reid, but he put his effort wide from close range. However it was not all one way traffic and Welling were pushing for a third as well. After being taken down just outside the area, Brendan Kiernan forced a save out of McDonald from the free kick.
Asa Hall then hit an effort from just inside the area that could have troubled Wilks but the impressive Richard Orlu bravely deflected the ball over the bar for a corner. From the resulting corner Kyle Cameron saw his looping header cannon off the bar, as Welling held firm. Kyle Cameron then saw a 2nd yellow and was sent off for persistent fouling as Torquay had to play the last 15 minutes with 10 men.
Ben Wynter saw another effort saved by Dan Wilks as they again failed to really open up the Welling defence. Bradley Goldberg who replaced man of the match Jack Barham then shot straight at McDonald when Kiernan was free in space for a tap in, but it mattered not as Welling ran out deserved winners to keep this threadbare squad still in the play off positions.
Welling now travel to Hungerford Town next Saturday.
