Welling United 2 v 1 Lewes

Nationwide Conference South

WELLING United moved to within one point of the Nationwide Conference South summit with a splendid win over fellow promotion hunters Lewes, writes Tim Ashton.

Goals from Che Stadhart and Daniel Moore were enough to give Adrian Pennock's men all three points at Park View Road.

It was a day to remember for the Wings as before the match Pennock picked up his second consecutive manager of the month award and striker Danny Kedwell was presented the with player of the month trophy.

But despite the result Pennock played down talk of promotion.

He said: "There is a long way to go. I am delighted with the start we have made but we have got to be lucky with injuries."

On the match itself he said: "In the first half we should have put the game to bed and we could have been five or six goals to nil up.

"But credit to Lewes, they came out in the second half and caused us some problems.

"When you're just 1-0 up you worry you're going to concede and we did but credit to our boys, they came back with a wonder goal. I thought the winner was superb."

The winning goal was created by substitute Matt Bodkin just seven minutes after Lewes had equalised Stadhart's first half strike.

Bodkin, a replacement for Danny Kedwell, took up possession on the Wings' right wing and started a run into the area similar to Maradona's wonder dribbling against England during the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.

He beat three defenders before drawing the keeper and chipping an inch-perfect cross onto Moore's head, sending the home fans behind the goal into raptures.

It was just reward for Pennock's men after dominating most of the first half.

Mark Green should have tested Paul Wilkinson in the Lewes goal after just four minutes but he dragged his shot wide.

Chris Moore headed over from a corner and Matt Carruthers' free-kick clipped the crossbar.

The Wings made the breakthrough on 30 minutes when Carruthers' corner from the right was flicked on by Lee Shearer, allowing Stadhart to head home from close range.

Moore could have doubled the lead but, in an exact replica of his first chance, he put his header too high.

But for a speculative long-range effort from Dean Brennan which was pushed round the post for a corner, Lewes were kept very quiet by a sound Welling side.

But the visitors, who had scored 15 goals in their last five matches, came out fired up for the second half and almost equalised when Owen Price's long-range effort brought the best out of Jamie Turner.

But the Rooks did equalise on 73 minutes when Leon Legge rose unmarked in the Welling area to power home a header from Brennan's corner.

Jamie Day had a chance to restore Welling's lead almost immediately when Leon Solomon, the fans' player on the month, played him through only for Day to drag his shot wide.

But the ground erupted when Daniel Moore scored the winner and creator Bodkin disappeared under a pile of his delighted teammates.

Lewes could have equalised in the dying minutes but Turner saved Price's long-range shot.

Welling now face an away day at Basingstoke on Saturday in the FA Trophy third round qualifying having played the same team in the Conference last night.

Welling: Turner; Howell; Solomon; Owen; C Moore; Shearer; Green (D Moore, 68); Kedwell (Bodkin, 52); Carruthers (Perkins, 77); Stadhart; Day.

Subs not used: Ibrahim; Lee.

Att: 713.