Welling's unbeaten March comes to an end (From News Shopper)

Welling's unbeaten March comes to an end

12:32am Sunday 18th March 2012 in Welling By Mark Doig

ANY hopes Welling United had of overhauling Woking at the top of the table were all but finished with a 2-1 defeat as the teams met at Kingfield.

Suspension for Ben Martin meant a reshuffle for Welling at the back. Andy Sambrook went into central defence with Loui Fazakerly taking his place at right back.

Moses Ademola was sent clear for the first opportunity of the match but Welling’s custodian, Craig Holloway, was out sharply to block his effort.

Harry Baker and Luis Cumbers opened up the Woking defence but Loick Pires scuffed his effort as he attempted to fire in from a ball played just behind him.

Scott Kinch shot wide after Jamie Day dispossessed Keiran Murtagh before the Woking man was just off target at the other end.

Baker was fouled by Derek Duncan and Jack Obersteller’s delivery caused havoc in the Woking defence before the ball was hacked away.

Another needless foul, this time by Adam Doyle on Pires, gave Obersteller a chance to try again and this time it resulted in a 16th minute goal.

Although Anthony Acheampong was unable to get on the end of the cross, Jack Parkinson controlled the loose ball before firing beyond Aaron Howe in the Woking goal.

Pires caught Doyle in possession and cut in before shooting over the bar and then Baker saw his effort blocked by Duncan as he got on the end of a Pires cross.

Day had a free kick caught by Howe as Welling enjoyed a good spell of pressure before Woking came back and won the first corner of the match.

Holloway had to punch the first corner out for another at the near post before chaos ensued at the second. A clear kick on him saw no foul awarded and Welling bundled the ball away for a throw in. However, despite the Welling goalkeeper being flat on the ground Mr Holderness allowed Woking to re-start the game, which they did unsportingly. The referee then realised that Welling were defending without a goalkeeper, stopped play, allowed Holloway to receive treatment and then instructed Woking to re-take their throw in.

Doyle flicked a header wide from a Murtagh free kick before Giuseppe Sole shot just beyond the far post from the same provider.

An ambitious long range effort by Paris Cowan-Hall went wide before the hosts equalised.

Kevin Betsy created the opportunity and Tom Davis netted courtesy of a big deflection.

Sambrook made a brilliant tackle on Betsy as he was about to let fly just before half time but disaster struck for the Wings immediately after the break.

A long ball over the top put Sole clear and he gave Holloway no chance from just outside the penalty area.

Lee Clarke was brought on for Kinch five minutes later but Woking continued to create openings.

Cowan-Hall had a shot pushed away by Holloway for a corner and Fazakerley headed off the line from Doyle’s header.

Again Cowan-Hall got clear and it took a brilliant save by Holloway to keep Welling in the game.

Sole then put a free kick narrowly wide before Welling came back into the game.

Cumbers raced through only to see Howe make a fine save and after Ben Greenhalgh had replaced Baker, desperate defending kept out Acheampong’s header.

Welling then had a big shout for a penalty as Howe rushed out of his goal, failed to make contact with the ball and then flattened Cumbers. Mr Holderness, who had awarded two spot kicks in a game against Welling earlier in the season, judged there to have been no offence and pointed for a goal kick.

Acheampong was sent up front to try and give Welling some extra fire power but after Day was booked for dissent, Pires headed Parkinson’s long throw over the bar as the Wings’ final opportunity came and went.

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Welling United: Holloway, Fazakerley, Obersteller, Kinch (Clarke 50), Acheampong, Sambrook, Parkinson, Day, Cumbers, Baker (Greenhalgh 77), Pires. Unused substitutes: McBean, Cracknell, Flack.