GOALKEEPER James Pullen made a total hash of Jordan Johnson’s last minute high cross allowing Luis Cumbers to finish from two feet to secure victory for Welling over Chelmsford.
After teasing the Welling supporters with an over the top celebration when Chelmsford went two-one ahead, the former Wings stopper was left with egg on his face.
After a bright start which saw Pullen do well to paw away a Cumbers attempted lob and the former Gillingham striker come close again when only to be blocked by a combination of Anthony Cook and Matthew Lock the visitors started to show the form which saw them bring a 100% record into this game.
Takumi Ake crossed for Ricky Modeste to head over unopposed and Charlie Mitten’s mis-kicked clearance almost allowed Sam Higgins in but Graeme Andrews was quick to spot the danger and made a fine tackle.
Andy Sambrook made a couple of excellent last ditch tackles and it came as no surprise when Chelmsford went ahead. Although Modeste’s shot appeared to be going well wide, Higgins was alert enough to get his head to the ball and divert into the top corner.
Dave Rainford hit a snapshot straight at Mitten before Jack Obersteller was turned by Modeste but the Clarets striker snatched at the shot and it went wide of the far post.
The hosts were made to wait for Chelmsford’s players to come out on the pitch for the start of the second half but only for another eight minutes before equalising.
Loui Fazakerley’s through ball bamboozled Sami El-Abd allowing Cumbers the space to slip the ball past Pullen and into the back of the net.
Andy Pugh was just off target with a fierce shot but Chelmsford regained the lead on 60 minutes.
Jamie Coyle raised his hands to block Ake’s cross and the referee had an easy decision to make in awarding the spot kick. Rainford converted emphatically.
Pullen’s excessive behaviour lifted the Welling supporters behind the goal and the players appeared to feed on it.
It took just three minutes for Welling to draw level again.
Obersteller’s corner was perfectly weighted for Pugh to rise and head into the top corner.
Joe Healey’s deep cross moments later found Fazakerley at the far post but he could not get sufficient power in his header to trouble Pullen.
Mitten had to be alert to block Robert Edmans with his legs and watchful to ensure a wicked long range swirling attempt from Rainford did not embarrass him.
Welling should have been awarded a penalty when a sweeping movement that included Jamie Day and Jack Parkinson resulted in Obersteller crossing towards Fazakerley.
As the Welling wide man rose to head the ball a disgraceful challenge by El-Abd saw him elbow Fazakerley flush in the face.
As the Welling supporters awaited the award of a penalty as easy to give as the earlier one El-Abd tumbled in farcical fashion holding his leg fully aware that he should be sent off. Incredibly he got away with it scot free.
Johnson gave Pullen a taste of what was to come when his lofted cross almost caught him out but floated just over the bar before the stopper made a fine save at the near post to thwart a powerful Cumbers effort.
Cumbers fired wide as the game went into injury time but was on hand to net following Pullen’s last minute shocker.
Welling United: Mitten, Coyle, Obersteller, Day, Andrews, Parkinson, Fazakerley (Omegbehin 90), Sambrook, Cumbers, Pugh, Healy (Johnson 78). Unused substitutes Whitnell, Billings.
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