On The Terrace: Game Day 13

Wings win again at Fortress Park View Road

Game 13

Welling United 1 – 0 AFC Whyteleafe

Venue: The Anthony Martin community Stadium (Formerly Park View Road)

Goalscorers: Nahum Melvin-Lambert (15)

Match Day Experience

Welling United were back at home on Saturday and there was a bumper crowd down at PVR due to the international break, so there was a mix of the other local clubs fans down to watch the football and give the Wings a real backing. It was also a charity day down at PVR for local charity Ellenor, which included a half-time penalty shootout where for a two pound donation fans of the club could take a penalty on the PVR pitch.

Match Report

Welling United were back in action in the league on Saturday in which they have been flawless in the league so far either five wins from five at home and were looking to make it six when visitors AFC Whyteleafe came to town. The Leafe were promoted last season and have enjoyed a difficult start to the season only winning one game of their first ten.

Welling United started the quicker of the two teams and fashioned a chance early on in the game with some excellent work with Anyadike who had drifted in from the right and side and drove with the ball to the left wing and played a crisp one, two with Shomotun which allowed Anyadike to drive into the box, his cut back took a small deflection before the ball reached Kaan Bennett who scuffed his effort but the ball fell to Melvin-Lambert who couldn’t quite sort feet out kick enough and the ball trickled wide.

The Wings continued to pile on the pressure when Miller-Rodney struck the woodwork from the edge of the box and Shomotun squared the rebound of the effort to Cooper who’s effort from the edge of the six yard box was expertly saved by the Leafe keeper Slavomir Huk, the first of many.

The deadlock was broken by Wings talisman Melvin-Lambert from the resulting corner of the early wings pressure. Jamie Reynolds floated delivery to the back post was inch perfected as it evaded Leafe keeper Huk who attempted to claw the cross away. At the back post Melvin-Lambert had lost his marker and managed to tap the ball home home evading the AFC Whyteleafe defenders on the line who could only clear after the ball had crossed the line.

The AFC Whyteleafe team seemed to be incensed that there was a reason the Welling United openers shouldn’t have counted, however the ball looked to be about three yards over the line when it was cleared and there looked to be no foul anywhere in the box.

Welling United showed no sign of letting up as they looked to double their lead, when a lovely ball was played through from Zak O’Keefe from deep split the defence of AFC Whyteleafe and found an energetic Melvin-Lambert running down the right wing who attempted to the ball back to Anyadike, which was half cut out and cleared by the Leafe defenders but the ball landed at the feet of Miller-Rodney who struck the ball true but it was just off target.

Welling United came close once again when Anyadike whipped in a phenomenal cross from the right wing which was met but Melvin-Lambert who found himself between the two defenders but his header was excellently kept out by Leafe keeper Huk again, who was finding himself having quite the game.

The Wings has squandered a lot of chances in the first half and AFC Whyteleafe were looking to make the Wings regret it. The Leafe started to grow into the game as they fashioned there first shot the game when, the higher cut inside from the left hand side and hit his effort, however it didn’t test the keeper as it cleared the stadium. The Leafe would come a little closer moments later when the winger on the right hand side managed to skip past Jamie Reynolds and drove into the box and his cut back found the attacker but the Welling defence managed to snuff out the chance.

The Wings did however end the half the better when they did create one last chance to double the lead, when some more excellent work in the midfield found a pass to Anyadike behind the Leafe defenders and his square pass across the box looked like it was going to find Shomotun for a tap in but a Leafe defender managed get a toe to the ball and direct it behind for a corner.

There was halftime entertainment at PVR as their was a penalty shootout with fans of both teams taking penalties on behalf of Ellenor.

AFC Whyteleafe started the second half the better of the two and forced an early stop from Wings keeper Ogayi down at his near post from a snapshot taken on the edge of the box. The following corner was whipped in and looked incredible dangerous but the Leafe attacker could only get a glance on the header and send it wide of the post.

Welling United once again wrestled back the momentum and some excellent foot work by Shomotun who was having one of his best games in a Welling shirt, terrorising the Leafe defenders, his lovely slide through pass found Kaan Bennett who hit the ball across the six yard box but there was no Welling United player there to tap the ball back into the back of the net.

The game found itself, becoming increasingly stop start in the middle of the park and being more of a battle in the middle of the park, rather than the exciting attacking play. Both midfields were struggling to get real control of the game which lead to not many chance being created.
Although Sam Smith did come close late in the game when he battled his way through on goal but just as he was about to pull the trigger a Leafe defender came across at the last minute and got a toe to the ball preventing Smith from getting away a clean effort.

AFC Whyteleafe started to go more direct in the late stages of the game but the defence of Welling United where up to the task and where heading everything clear.

The last chances of the game fell to Welling United and it provided one last chance for Leafe keeper to make himself the star of the game, Sam Smith free kick bounced right in front of Huk who parried into the path of Wings striker Azeez who looked like for all the world that he was going to finish and make it two but some how Huk managed to get a foot the ball and make an exceptional save, saving his best for last.

Welling United have now won all six league games at home this season, which has seen them go to the top of the table after this result. For Welling United this was a stark contrast to 12 months ago when they were sacking Lee Martin after a torrid start to the season. For AFC Whyteleafe they haven’t started the season as well as would have hoped after promotion last season, however there will be plenty of positives for the Leafe as although results haven’t improved a lot, the performances are getting better and before long they will start to find the results they feel they deserve.