By Mark Doig at Park View Road
WELLING United ended Dulwich Hamlet’s four-game unbeaten run and boosted their own Isthmian League Premier Division survival chances with a 2-0 win at Park View Road.
Dean Gunner and Troy Howard scored the crucial goals in the second half.
Starting the day outside the bottom four only on goal difference, Welling had more at stake in the league than the visitors. However, Dulwich have a London Senior Cup final later this month with players competing for a starting berth.
Hamlet boss Mark Dacey selected an attacking eleven and after winning the toss, captain Michael Chambers opted for his side to play up the slope in the first half. Going in at half-time goal-less, the visitors may have thought that the hard work was done. But Welling had scored three times towards the Park End seven days earlier, and they added two more here to claim the points.
Dulwich’s Anthony Jeffrey had the first shot of the afternoon but it went harmlessly wide.
Welling’s Sam Smith fired a shot beyond the far post at the other end.
Jeffrey created a chance for Luke Wanadio but he also failed to hit the target from outside the penalty area.
The chances continued but so did the poor finishing as Welling’s John Ufuah met a Howard cross on the half-volley only to shoot wide.
Continuing the trend, Lonit Talla shot over from 20 yards after good work by Wanadio.
A goalkeeper was finally called into action with the last chance of the first half when Howard threaded Ade Azeez through and Toby Bull made a good save with his legs.
Shortly after the restart, Mackenzie Foley denied Jeffrey effort from twelve yards, and the Wings stopper also did well to hold a sweetly struck, but too straight, effort from Gaspar Mico.
As the hour-mark approached, the Wings went ahead. Smith delivered a corner and Dean Gunner’s movement allowed him to find space and head unchallenged beyond a helpless Bull.
Seven minutes later, Welling scored again. Zak O’Keefe’s long throw-in was nodded out, before Lekan Majoyegbe recycled it with a delightful chip back in. Howard beat Bull and after his header came back off the bar he reacted quickest to nod into the empty net.
Majoyegbe might have added a third but Chambers came to the rescue with a goal-line clearance.
Late in the game, Dulwich pushed Welling a little deeper and David Smith’s tame shot was fielded easily by Foley before Nyren Clunis twice blasted over.
That was the end of the goalmouth action, and the crucial win for Welling moved them up to seventeenth in the table, with hopes heightened of beating the drop.
Welling play Potters Bar Town at home on Tuesday.
Welling United: Foley; O’Keefe, Majoyegbe, Gunner, Arthur; Smith (Paternoster 84); Howard (Reeve 70), Reynolds (El-Mogharbel 89), Gard (Thomas 74), Ufuah; Azeez (Stewart 90+3).
Substitutes not used: None.
Dulwich Hamlet: Bull; Bonnett-Johnson, Adewunmi (Okonkwo 83), M. Chambers, T. Chambers; Mico (Kassarate 68), Talla (Clunis 68), Wanadio (Baugh 68); Jeffrey (Smith 74), Mills.
Substitutes not used: None.
