There was plenty of excitement at the J. Hearnden Skip Hire Community Stadium as Welling United extended their unbeaten home run by defeating Vanarama National League South leaders Yeovil Town.
Having fallen behind early on, Kain Adom levelled with another contender for goal of the season before Tristan Abrahams scored a second half quick-fire hat-trick.
Danny Bloor announced two new signings, and they both started. Goalkeeper Reice Charles-Cook returned having last played for the Wings in the 2020/21 season. Also debuting was veteran Anthony Grant and he was appointed as captain.
Both teams had early chances, Josh Chambers and Dominic Odusanya coming close for Welling before a free kick by Jordan Young flew well over at the other end. However, it was Young who broke the deadlock. He cut in from the right and fired low into the bottom corner to put the visitors ahead.
Another Young raid down the other wing ended with a shot that Charles-Cook saved easily however, after that Welling took over. They levelled when a loose tackle fell into the path of Adom and his well struck first time effort from the edge of the penalty area curled inside the far post.
Taylor Curran came close with a header from a Chambers free kick and Adom had another long range shot tipped over by a stretching Day as the Wings finished the first half on top.
When they came out for the second period, they probably expected a reaction from the Glovers but it wasn’t forthcoming and it was Welling who continued to probe. They went ahead ten minutes in. Dominic Odusanya sent Crossley Lema away down the right wing and he crossed for Abrahams to guide his header home.
Two minutes later, Abrahams got onto the end of a clearance and out paced his marker before firing home. Lema again caused problems down the right and his low driven cross was inches out of the reach of Abrahams.
However, he didn’t have to wait long to complete his treble. Despite being outnumbered, he brought down a high clearance, held off his man and turned to fire into the top corner. That was his eighth goal in fourteen league and cup games.
Surprisingly, there was still no urgency from the visitors and Day was the busier goalkeeper until the last fifteen minutes when Yeovil changed their shape. Even after that, they only tested Charles-Cook once when he made a brilliant point blank save from Alex Fisher.
Deep into injury time Adom might have added a fifth when he drew a full length diving save out of Day with another long range drive.
An enjoyable afternoon’s football for Welling supporters came to an end soon after with them celebrating their team’s first league win of the season by more than the odd goal.
Welling United: Charles-Cook, Lema (Howard 90+5), Green, Grant, Curran (Wood 52), Byrd, Tanga, Odusanya, Abrahams, Chambers (Kassarate 84), Adom. Sub not used: Sekajja, Muwonge.
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