Welling United 2-1 Slough Town
The Wings made it ten unbeaten in all competitions as they narrowly defeated a well organised Slough Town side. The away side will feel aggrieved not to be taking a point back up the M4.
It was far from a vintage Welling display but Steve King’s side found a way to win and in doing so went 2nd in the table.
The home side got off to the perfect start going ahead in just the 2nd minute. Jack Jebb swung in a free kick that was delivered to perfection into the area and Adam Coombes who thrives on deliveries such as these glanced the header home to set Welling on their way.
The game settled down before exploding into life on the quarter of an hour mark Jordan Gibbons burst into the Slough area the space opened up for him and he decided to shoot instead of squaring it to Kiernan who had a simple tap in, the shot saved by keeper Jack Turner.
From that Slough broke and the ball found it’s way to Manny Williams who with just Wilks to beat curled his effort wide.
Adam Coombes played a nice ball into Bradley Goldberg but his effort curled over the bar.
With twenty minutes gone Welling were dealt a hammer blow when Jack Jebb went down without anyone around him holding his knee, the Wings star man was seen on crutches after the game. David Ijaha replacing him.
Despite the blow Wings nearly doubled the lead Nassim L’Ghoul riding two challenges before bursting clear but he blazed over from an acute angle.
James Dobson then hit an audacious effort that went over the bar and out of the ground onto Park View Road.
Welling were still on top and clever play from Kiernan saw him cut inside and hit a rasping effort over the bar. Slough had their moments to and Dobson went close with a clever flick from a corner that just went over the bar.
Welling finished the half strongly though and L’Ghoul should have got on the score sheet when after setting off on a superb run he found himself bearing down on goal, with just Turner to beat he stroked his effort wide of the post for what would have been a marvellous individual goal.
The last opportunity of the half fell to Kiernan but he curled wide from just inside the area.
You always got the sense that Slough were never out of the game and so it proved just a minute into the 2nd half. A long throw was not dealt with and the loose ball was recycled into the area by Guy Hollis who found Dobson unmarked and he volleyed past Dan Wilks to level the score at 1-1.
The away side almost went ahead just a minute later Dobson smashing a free kick against the Welling wall that deflected just wide with Wilks a spectator watching it go wide for a corner.
It was Slough in the ascendancy and Dobson saw an effort just curl wide before Sam Togwell should have headed Slough ahead missing unmarked from close range.
Welling needed to up their play in the final third and they almost grabbed the lead when Adam Coombes saw a free kick beaten away by Turner, Josh Hill looked to have scored with the rebound only to be denied with a superb block.
Slough then missed a glorious chance as Harris missed a free header from a brilliant Dobson cross.
Welling made them pay for this miss as in the 82nd minute, Kiernan played a ball over the top that set Gibbons away, the right back got into the box before being pushed over by Hollis for a penalty.
Up stepped Adam Coombes who cooly dispatched his penalty much to the relief of the bumper PVR crowd
Welling has to soak up some heavy Slough pressure, Dan Wilks made an outstanding save in the 90th minute saving a George Wells pile driver. Sam Togwell then headed a Dobson cross wide in the final minute of injury time as Welling just about secured a vital three points.
Next up for Welling is the crucial FA Cup 4th Qualifying Round game away at Woking on Saturday.
