By Mark Doig at The Lantern Community Stadium
PLAYING their third consecutive away game, Welling United gave themselves hope of Isthmian League Premier Division safety with a thrilling 3-2 victory at fellow strugglers Potters Bar Town.
Welling let a two-goal lead slip before scoring a late winner.
It was Welling’s first-ever visit to The Lantern Community Stadium, with its artificial surface, and a very happy one for the large band of travelling supporters. It was also the first time this season that Welling have gone in at half-time with a two-goal lead.
Crucially, victory took Welling five points clear of their hosts and within a point of Hashtag United and safety, having played a game fewer. However, it was not the straight-forward win that they might have hoped for at half-time.
Both teams had chances early in the first half. Troy Howard’s effort for Welling tested goalkeeper Josh Shattell and, although he made the initial save, he was unable to hold it and was thankful that Dylan Adjei-Hersey was on hand to clear. Then the hosts went close when Damaray Anyadike’s shot from the corner of the penalty area came back out off the inside of the far post.
Brandon Adams combined with Joe Re to work his way into a one-on-one with Mackenzie Foley but his shot was feeble and the Welling goalkeeper saved easily. After that, the Wings dominated the remainder of the first half.
Shattell kept out efforts from Lewis Gard, Dean Gunner and John Ufuah before conceding four minutes before half-time. Gard recycled a half-cleared corner on the left and clipped it in to the near post where Lekan Majoyegbe headed home via the underside of the bar.
Gard then almost caught Shattell out of possession but he scrambled back to turn the ball round the post.
The hosts’ goalkeeper’s escape was short-lived, though, and Welling doubled their lead in the fourth minute of first-half stoppage-time. From a free-kick on the edge of the penalty area, Sam Smith fired into the top-left corner for his third goal in three games.
In an unusual position the season with that advantage, it seemed that the Wings were unsure on whether to twist or stick in the second period. Howard drew a brilliant save out of Shattell immediately after the break before the hosts started probing to get back into the game.
They gave themselves hope in the 66th minute when a hopeful pass forward somehow found its way to Anyadike and he hooked home from twelve yards out.
Then, with eight minutes remaining, the hosts drew level. Adams was lurking on the edge of the penalty area and when it fell to him he volleyed home spectacularly.
Boss Ryan Maxwell has built a determined resilience in the Wings’ team and that came to the fore when they went back ahead two minutes later. Ufuah did well down the left and delivered to substitute Jamie Reynolds and he finished clinically with his weaker right foot.
That was not the end of the action, though, as the hosts refused to lie down. Re burst through and drew a great save out of Foley before they went even closer when Jacques Kpohomouh hit the outside of the post with a header.
Nana Kyei fired a free-kick well over for Potters Bar before the Welling players were able to celebrate the win with their one 150-plus supporters.
Welling are at home to Whitehawk this Saturday (3pm).
Welling United: Foley; O’Keefe, Majoyegbe, Gunner, Arthur; Thomas (Oluwatimilehin 71), Smith; Howard, (Paternoster 86) Gard (Reynolds 75), Ufuah; Azeez.
Substitutes not used: Vukoje, Stewart.
