Welling United 4-3 Slough Town

Seven goals, good saves, goal-line clearances, a strike against the woodwork, a disallowed goal, and a stoppage time winner provided a great advertisement for Vanarama National League South football.

Danny Bloor made two changes to the Welling team that drew at Dover Athletic five days earlier. Teenager Javarn Pitterson was given a start in goal and new signing Josh Chambers, on loan from Gillingham, was put straight into the starting line-up.

Kain Adom had Welling’s first opportunity when fizzing a shot just wide with Slough goalkeeper Rohan Luthra beaten having been slow to react.

In the eleventh minute, the Wings went ahead. Josh Jackman made a rash challenge on Jephte Tanga as he burst into the box, and a penalty was awarded. Slough attempted to distract the referee while Luthra scuffed the penalty spot but Adrian George was not fooled and cautioned the goalkeeper. Despite the delay, Tristan Abrahams remained calm and sent Luthra the wrong way when converting.

Luthra then made a mess of an Adom shot and pushed it out into the path of Tanga who fired home but he had started in an advanced position and the strike was ruled out for offside.

There was nothing that Luthra could do to stop Welling from going two up midway through the first half. Temi Eweka dithered on the ball on the edge of his own penalty area and Adom nicked it away before slotting home to extend his lead at the top of the Welling goal scoring list.

Any hopes that Welling supporters may have had of watching a comfortable victory were dispelled as Slough enjoyed a good spell of patient build up play. Pitterson held on to a header from Leon Chambers-Parillon’s cross, then the creator had a chance of his own but shinned it wide after John Goddard’s initial shot had come back out to him.

As half time approached, the Rebels pulled one back. The impressive Goddard crossed for Tyrese Dyce whose good first touch gave him the space to fire home from fifteen yards. George Alexander, on loan from Bromley to Slough, then got a shot away inside the six yard box that Pitterson blocked out at point blank range.

At the other end, Abrahams got the better of Eweka and shot towards the far post but Luthra got a slight touch to turn it wide. The officials didn’t see the deflection and awarded a goal-kick allowing Slough to get it up-field, and it fell for Alexander whose first time shot was tipped away by Pitterson.

After the half time break Slough continued to press and had a string of corners before they levelled from one five minutes in. Goddard’s delivery was flicked on and Eweka was on hand to finish from close range.

Tanga and Cameron Green both had shots blocked before Welling went back ahead. Green hit a low shot that took a deflection that helped it into the bottom corner. However, parity was restored two minutes later when Slough were awarded a free kick. Goddard stepped up and fired high into the top corner.

Both teams had opportunities as the game became more stretched in the last half an hour. Dominic Hutchinson had a low shot saved by Pitterson, then Dan Bayliss showed bravery to put his head in the way of an Adom shot. TJ Bramble set up Abrahams whose shot clattered the bar before chaos in the Welling penalty area gave Mickel Platt the opportunity to flick beyond Pitterson towards goal. Lachlan Byrd came to the rescue with a goal-line clearance.

Byrd was then involved at the other end with the winner from what looked like a training ground move. Green slanted a free kick towards the far post. Byrd arrived late to enable him to play it back into the middle for Taylor Curran to head home.

No further opportunities were created in the five remaining minutes of stoppage time and Welling’s management and players were able to go and celebrate with their supporters.

Welling United: Pitterson, Lema, Green, Kassarate, Curran, Byrd, Tanga (White 72), Odusanya (Bramble 55), Abrahams, Chambers, Adom. Sub not used: Wood, Sekajja, Papadopoulos.