BY MARK DOIG
Despite going behind early on, Welling United beat runaway National League South leaders Yeovil Town at the J Hearnden Skip Hire Community Stadium.
Coming into the game, the Glovers had only lost twice all season, and both were back in August. However, Welling’s four-one victory not only turned the form book upside down but shook out all the pages and sent them blowing around DA16.
Danny Bloor gave his two new signings starts. Goalkeeper Reice Charles-Cook came in for his first appearance in his second spell with the club, and experienced midfielder Anthony Grant made his debut having been appointed as captain. Both justified their inclusion with excellent performances.
Josh Chambers had Welling’s first chance when Tristan Abrahams’ dummy gave him a run on goal and his shot looked goal-bound until it hit Morgan Williams’ outstretched leg and flew just over. Dominic Odusanya then headed Chambers’ corner into the grateful arms of Joe Day.
Jordan Young struck a Yeovil free kick over the wall, but also over the bar before he put the visitors ahead. He broke down the right wing before cutting in and shooting into the bottom corner. Young might have scored again when he burst down the other wing and tried his luck again, but his shot didn’t have the power to beat Charles-Cook.
However, it was Welling who drew the next blood. An attempted tackle fell to Kain Adom and he wasted no time in firing another of his specials inside the far post from the edge of the penalty area.
Having drawn level, Welling enjoyed the better of the first half, without creating too many chances, until Adom was denied by an acrobatic save by Day from another long range piledriver.
After the break, Welling continued to boss the game and it was no less than they deserved when they went ahead. Dominic Odusanya freed Crossley Lema down the right-hand side and he had plenty of time to measure his cross to Abrahams who picked his spot with a firm header that gave Day no chance.
Two minutes later, Welling went three-one up. Abrahams got on the end of a long clearance with the Yeovil defence in disarray, and he showed his quality with a clinical finish.
He completed an 11-minute hat-trick when being stronger than the Weymouth centre-backs by bringing down a difficult high ball, turning them, and then curling it into the top corner.
Shell-shocked Yeovil struggled to cope with wave after wave of Welling attacks until they changed their shape with under fifteen minutes to go. They then won four corners but made nothing of them against a determined Welling defence before Bloor countered by bringing on the more defensively-minded midfielder, Amadou Kassarate, for Josh Chambers who had been playing in an attacking position.
They finally created an opportunity with two minutes remaining when Frank Nouble’s deep cross picked out Alex Fisher, but Charles-Cook got across quickly to make an excellent block.
However, it was Welling who finished the strongest and Day had to make a superb full-length diving save to turn around another long-range effort from Adom before Cameron Green surged forward but fired over.
PICTURE: DAVE BUDDEN
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