St Albans City 1-2 Welling United (From News Shopper)

St Albans City 1-2 Welling United

11:16pm Monday 28th December 2009 in

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DESPITE being harshly reduced to ten men with the scores level Andy Pugh’s late goal earned Welling United all three points in their last game of 2009.

Hosts St Albans City had the first real shooting opportunity but Paul Hakim smashed his free kick straight into the defensive wall following a foul on Peter Smith.

Soon after Graeme Andrews was inches away form converting Tommy Whitnell’s cross following good work by Jamie Day.

Day and Whitnell then combined again but Pugh was caught offside from the latter’s knock across goal.

On 23 minutes Pugh had another chance and this time he was not to be denied. Following a foul on Tony Finn, the impressive Jack Obersteller swung in an inviting free kick that the on loan striker flicked past the stranded Paul Bastock.

A Pugh pull back then found Whitnell but his shot was saved by Bastock.

Mark Peters was the first Saint to register an attempt on target but Charlie Mitten saved easily.

St Albans next chance looked more threatening but the shot from Drew Roberts was blocked bravely by Jack Parkinson.

Roberts, following his brace on Boxing Day, netted seven minutes into the second half when he turned and rifled his shot into the bottom corner as Welling failed to deal with a free kick.

The hosts then had a couple of half chances but Peters’ header was easily saved and James Fisher fired high and wide.

Parkinson looked to have a chance for Welling when clean through on goal but referee Steve Daly stopped play to allow treatment for Danny Johnson who was flat out on the goal-line.

In the 68th minute Jake Hobbs was introduced in place of Whitnell but his participation only lasted ten minutes.

Hobbs and Godfrey Poku challenged for a fifty fifty ball but the Saints midfielder backed out at the last minute and ended up tumbling over the tackle. Mr Daly saw something more in it and brandished the red card much to the disbelief of the unfortunate Welling substitute and his team-mates.

Although down to ten men, the miscarriage of justice appeared to fire up the visitors and after Michale Bakare had seen his shot well saved by Bastock, Welling grabbed the winner.

Obersteller played the ball down the line to Bakare and his delicious pass invited Pugh to beat the offside trap and burst clear of the Saints back four. The striker coolly drew Bastock out before slotting home emphatically.

There was only one minute remaining of normal time when the goal was scored but the home official announced a minimum of seven additional minutes was to be added.

This caused no problem to the visitors however, and it was they who came closest to scoring again when Bastock beat away a fierce Bakare drive before Welling were able to play out the last three minutes by the corner flag.

Welling United: Mitten, Sambrook, Obersteller, Day, Andrews, Parkinson, Finn (Bakare 73), Clarke, Whitnell (Hobbs 68), Pugh, Hurrell. Subs not used: Cutler, Deane, Fazakerley.