BY MARK DOIG
Defying the percentages, struggling Welling United defeated Nationwide League South league leaders Worthing at residence to offer their faint hopes of survival a great addition.
Few would have predicted the consequence forward of the encounter. Nonetheless it was a deserved victory for the Wings, and will they have the ability to replicate the efficiency in all of their remaining video games, they might but pull off an amazing escape.
Brian Statham made three modifications to the group that was crushed by Hemel Hempstead City in midweek. Chiori Johnson’s harm meant that he missed out and Harvey Walker returned and slotted into the left again function. Strikers Scott Kashket and Deon Moore got here in, with Josh Redfearn and Zain Walker taking their locations on the substitute’s bench.
Though captain Dave Winfield’s suspension had ended, an harm meant that he was unable to return to the beginning line-up. Dan Martin was additionally dominated out via harm, and Garrett Kelly was unavailable resulting from being on worldwide responsibility.
Within the early phases, the Wings seemed the extra energetic however didn’t create a taking pictures alternative till they gained a free kick on the quarter of an hour mark. Sahid Kamara tried to catch out goalkeeper Lucas Covolan on the close to put up however curled it simply over.
Jack Spong fired properly over from a Worthing free kick earlier than Rhys Lovett made a cushty save from Ruben Carvalho.
Maxwell Statham picked out Kashket with a wonderful cross-field go, and his trickery made house for him to get a shot away, however though struck cleanly, Covolan was properly positioned to carry onto the shot.
Liam Nash then burst via and clipped it past Lovett. Having overhit it, the Rebels’ striker fell over the susceptible Welling goalkeeper, however the referee noticed nothing untoward.
Ten minutes earlier than half time, Welling went forward from a coaching floor routine. Sam Cornish exchanged passes with Kashket earlier than delivering deep to the far put up the place Gene Kennedy peeled away from his marker to leap unopposed and head residence.
After the break, Nash had a shot deflected broad, however Welling have been untroubled till Worthing upped the tempo within the final twenty minutes. Temu Babalola thought that he had levelled with a shot from twelve yards that was stored out by a shocking low response save by Lovett.
Danny Cashman then fired over when properly positioned earlier than Babalola broke via and was once more thwarted by Lovett, who caught out his left leg to maintain it out at the price of a nook.
The supply was too deep, and Statham was in a position to hack it clear so far as Sam Packham on the midway line. Quite than ready for him to recycle it, Cornish raced out and pressurised the defender into making a mistake earlier than bursting away down the wing. Cornish then reduce in and unselfishly crossed to Kennedy, who had proven the need to run the size of the pitch to get on the tip of it, and he was rewarded with a faucet in.
Joel Colbran fired broad of the close to put up for the Rebels. Nonetheless, Welling stored their form and noticed out the remaining time to assert the three very much-needed factors.
PICTURES: DAVE BUDDEN
