Welling youth stars in Kent Senior Cup win
Game 12
Cray Valley (PM) 0 – 3 Welling United
Venue: The Mayne Arena
Goalscorers: Santino Norris (11), Nahum Melvin-Lambert (74, 90+1)
Match Day Experience
Cray Valley (PM), the PM stands for Paper Mills is a lovely little club based in Eltham. The Millers play their home games at the Mayne Arena which used to be named the Artic Stadium which was a personal favourite stadium name of mine. The stadium is located in the heart of Eltham, it is a 20 minute walk from the station and has many bus stops on. The Stadium itself is a quaint little stadium which was two seated stands, and three covered terraces in the stadium, the stadium comes equipped with a large digital score board, fan zone area, club store and a club house which has a bar with many great options. The pitch was in excellent condition considering the level that Cray Valley (PM) play at, and has the quirky element of being on a small slope so just like in Sunday league you can kick down hill in the second half.
Match Report
The Kent Senior Cup is a bit like Jersey Mikes Trophy (which will also be know as, Bristol Street Motors Trophy, Papa Johns Trophy, Johnstones Paint Trophy and the EFL Trophy, What a mental list of sponsors by the way). you only start to take it seriously once your close to the final. Both clubs will agree that they have bigger fish to fry with both teams aiming for promotions in their respective leagues. This meant that both teams had rotated using a mix of first team players and youth players which lead to an interesting tie.
Their were early fears in this game for the Wings when keeper Philip Ogayi went down within the first 5 minutes with what looked like a muscle injury, this would be an issue for any club but with Welling United (like a lot of non league clubs) not naming a keeper on the bench, their were worries the Wings would play almost a whole game with an out field player in goal. Thankfully the severity of the injury wasn’t as bad as first feared and Ogayi powered through the rest of the game.
The early stages of the game both teams were trying to figure each other out but also figure out themselves as many of these players wouldn’t have played together before. So building early chemistry for both teams was vital and it seemed the Welling boys clicked quicker than the Millers.
Just after the 10 minute mark the Wings made the break through when from a second phase of a set piece Sam Smith got on the ball on the left wing and delivered a whipped low cross into the Cray Valley (PM) box which youngster Santino Norris finished off beautifully. For a centre half Norris movement was akin to a striker.
After the Welling United opener Cray Valley (PM) started to grow into the game and started to get the ball down on the deck and play some crisp passes in the midfield and down the flank. Just before the half hour mark the Millers won’t believe they didn’t level the score line as a corner from the right hand side caused absolutely chaos in the he Wings penalty area as an almighty goal mouth scramble broke out and the Welling players will have been mightily relieved when the ball ended up in keeper Ogayi hands. Moments later Ogayi was called into action again when a slick Cray Valley (PM) move down the left hand side gave the chance for the striker to be laid in with a square pass across the box, the ball landed at the attackers feet about 12 yards out, centre of the goal but his effort was saved by the long legs of Ogayi.
Welling United started with a wing pairing of Troy Howard, who is still working his way back to full fitness and youngster Lionel Lazellari and there where shades of an Argentine in Lionels performance as he was causing a lot of issues for his full back. Troy Howard on the other side was equally as dangerous and Wings fans will be getting excited for his full return which it feels he is getting much closer to.
Momentum in this game swung back and forth and the Wings ended the half better with Kaan Bennett dragging an effort just wide from the penalty spot after some very tidy footwork. The Millers keeper was called into action moments later when he saved a long range effort from a Welling midfielder and Ade Azeez tried to follow up on the rebound but the keeper smothered him quickly.
Going into the half Welling United would have been the happier of the teams but there was enough encouragement for Cray Valley (PM) to believe that in the second half they could get back into the game.
At the half the Wings made two changes with exciting winger Lionel Lazellari and Kaan Bennett making way for two more youth talents Darnell Fuller and Cameron Ano.
Just minutes into the second half Welling United came close to making it two as Troy Howard beat his man on the outside and whipped in a dangerous cross with was palmed into a dangerous and looked to be falling to Azeez but he lost his footing at the vital moment and the chance went begging.
Just like the first half the momentum of this game swung back and forth like a newtons cradle as just before the hour mark Cray Valley once again came close. An attacking set piece on the Cray Valley (PM) right wing was whipped into the box and a Miller player managed to get a glancing header on the ball but it just wasn’t quite enough contact as the ball ended up just narrowly past the post.
The youth of the Wings will have the fans wanting more and the latest youth player to have a moment would be Darnell Fuller when a lovely slide pass had him in behind his defender but the angle was tight and with two men bearing down on him, he took his effort from the edge of the box and couldn’t only find the side netting.
The Millers once again wrestled back the momentum of the game and came close from another set piece as the ball was originally cleared but fell to a Cray Valley (PM) attacker on the edge of the box who curled an effort for the far post but it ended wide of the post.
The Wings responded to the Cray pressure with a couple more changes bringing on, Melvin-Lambert and Jamie Reynolds with Ade Azeez and Tyrell Miller-Rodney making way.
Melvin-Lambert has been in fine form this season and after coming off the bench in this cup tie it didn’t take long for him to make an impact when a long ball was played forward, and the Welling forward beat the offside trap and leathered the ball into the back of the net from the edge of the box past the Millers keeper would stood no chance.
This goal sucked a some of the belief out of Cray Valley (PM) as Welling United started to control the game, there was still plenty of fight from the Millers but they couldn’t quite create the cutting edge chance to get back into the game.
The scoring wasn’t done though when Welling United youngsters Cameron Ano another bright spark on the left wing twisted and turned on the left wing leaving his defender behind with, his low ball in the box found Melvin-Lambert who was about six yards out. His initial effort was saved well by the Millers Keeper but he couldn’t do anything when the rebound fell back to Melvin-Lamberts feet and he made no mistake the second time.
Melvin-Lambert could have had his hat trick moments later when Troy Howard went round the outside of his winger and delivered a low ball into the box, Melvin-Lambert got to the ball first but an excellent block from the centre half denied the Welling attacker his hat trick.
Overall it was a very productive night for the Wings with all of the young players performing incredibly well, three of the back four were from the youth team and they all looked solid with Norris even grabbing a goal. The other two youngsters in the back line Maragh and Ntoye can also be very happy with their performance as they didn’t put a foot wrong. Fuller, Ano and Lazellari were the attacking prospects for Welling United and they all showed real moments of promise with Ano and Lazellari causing havoc down the left wing and Fuller providing a threat playing in the number ten role.
Cray Valley (PM) don’t have a game this weekend, but are back in action at home next Tuesday against SE Dons, in a game that I may potentially go to as I very much enjoyed my time at the Mayne Arena. Welling United are back in action at home this weekend in the league after three consecutive cups ties. The Wings were in good league form before the cup ties and will be hoping to pick up were they left off in the league.
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