Brave Welling tumble out of Kent Senior Cup (From News Shopper)

Brave Welling tumble out of Kent Senior Cup

9:00am Wednesday 25th January 2012 in Welling By Mark Doig

BARRY Ashby and Matt Horne presided over a Welling United team that started as a mixture of first team and Kent U18 players but although they put in an excellent effort, in the end Dover Athletic ran out comfortable winners.

John Whitehouse made his first appearance for several months, Anthony Acheampong returned after losing his place a few weeks earlier, and both Ben Greenhalgh and Warren McBean made their full Welling first team debuts.

Steadman Callender was the first player to register a shot on target but Dover goalkeeper Lee Hook coped with it easily.

Billy Bricknell shot wide for Dover when well placed before Donovan Simmonds headed wide from a long free kick.

Whitehouse made a fine save Bricknell before Acheampong came close to converting a Greenhalgh free kick for Welling.

Harry Baker shot over when Dover next attacked before George Horne’s evening was brought to a premature end through a head injury requiring hospital treatment and he was replaced by Jack Stevens.

McBean then crossed but Ryan Flack headed wide, before Flack turned provider with a cross that McBean looked certain to finish had Shaun Raggett not made a vital interception.

Greenhalgh appeared to have a strong claim for a penalty denied when brought down in the area before Dover missed a glorious chance to break the deadlock.

Baker’s cross found Bricknell in plenty of space but with the goal at his mercy he side footed his effort against the outside of the post.

Again McBean and Flack combined well but the latter’s shot on the turn was saved comfortably by Hook.

Simmonds shot just wide before Michael Noone had a shot saved by Whitehouse.

Hook had to dive full length to keep out Greenhalgh’s shot before McBean pulled up sharply and limped off to be replaced by Richard Simon.

As the first half moved into injury time, Baker burst through and hit a shot accurate and powerful enough to beat Whitehouse for the opening goal.

Early in the second half, Greenhalgh shot wide before Dover took the game by the scruff of the neck.

Despite the best defensive efforts of Jack Kensington, Josh Patrick and Simon in midfield, Welling struggled to keep the ball and Jack Parkinson was superb in countering Dover’s constant attacks.

Olly Schulz twice missed good chances from corners and Harry Cullum made a great tackle to stop Baker from bursting through.

Acheampong was cautioned for a hard tackle before conceding the 82nd minute penalty that proved to settle the match.

Having waited for Mitchell O’Bierne to come on in place of Acheampong, Agustin Battipiedi drilled the spot kick straight down the middle.

The final chance of the match fell to Simmonds but Whitehouse made another good save.

Although looking downcast as they left the field, the young Welling players put in great effort against a physically stronger team and had no reason to believe they had let themselves down.

Follow us on Twitter @NewsShopperSprt Welling United: Whitehouse, Horne (Stevens 23), Cullum, Kensington, Acheampong (O’Bierne 82), Parkinson, Greenhalgh, Patrick, McBean (Simon 41), Flack, Callender. Unused substitute: Ackord.