By Mark Doig at Park View Road
TWO goals and an assist from Fumnaya Shomotun helped Welling United return to winning ways with a 4-2 victory in their Isthmian League Premier Division home match with Burgess Hill Town.
Last season, the Wings were beaten by Burgess Hill home and away. Coming into this term’s encounter, Welling had a perfect record at home. In six wins out of six, they had conceded just one goal. Their six clean sheets recorded this term has already eclipsed last season’s total.
Burgess Hill came into the match unbeaten on artificial surfaces but without a point on grass. Therefore, the form guide pointed to Welling claiming their first-ever success against the Hillians.
They could have been chasing from early on when Lekan Majoyegbe’s clearance struck Ben Pope and rebounded towards goal, but fortunately for the Wings, it flew straight into the arms of goalkeeper Philip Ogayi. After that it was scrappy fare until Chris Harris, on full debut, headed wide from Sam Smith’s near-post corner.
Then Shomotun struck. Although a clearance from Zak O’Keefe’s long throw fell behind him, he spun to sweep it inside the post.
Both teams then had half-chances before Roco Rees made a good low save from Harris just before half-time.
Luca Cocoracchio headed wide from George Vorster’s corner for the visitors early in the second period before Shomotun had a shot deflected over at the other end.
On the hour-mark, Shomotun struck again. Zuriel Otseh-Taiwo played it forward and Shomotun turned a defender on the halfway line. He then tricked his way past a second before racing forward, cutting in and hitting a sweet strike that went in off the far post.
Nahum Melvin-Lambert then came on for Harris and twice went close before the visitors pulled one back. Hamish Morrison eased his way in and squeezed his shot inside the near post to give the Hillians some hope.
That was all but extinguished two minutes later when Majoyegbe headed home from Jamie Reynolds’ free-kick and then Melvin-Lambert added a fourth four minutes later when he fired home after being set up by Shomotun.
Substitute Charlie Lambert headed over from a Morrison cross before the visitors scored again with two minutes remaining. In an attempt to hook a clearance, Ogayi caught Lambert in the chest and gave away a penalty. Vorster stepped up and sent Ogayi the wrong way from twelve yards.
Although the victory only took Welling back up to second place in the table, they were the only team in the top ten who played and won so they strengthened their place in the race for promotion.
Welling travel to Chatham Town next Saturday (3pm).
Welling United: Ogayi; O’Keefe, Otseh-Taiwo, O’Keefe, Arthur; Blackman, Smith (Miller-Rodney 71); Anyadike (Brissett 81), Bennett (Reynolds 55), Shomotun (Lucan 81); Harris (Melvin-Lambert 66).
Substitutes not used: None.
