Wings shock Eagles in entertaining encounter (From News Shopper)

Welling United 2-1 Crystal Palace

9:03pm Saturday 4th August 2012 in Blue Square Conference South By Mark Doig

TWO goals in five second half minutes saw Welling United stun a strong Crystal Palace side despite playing the last 25 minutes without a recognised goalkeeper.

Jack Obersteller and Harry Baker put Welling in a strong position before Kagisho Dikgacoi slipped the ball beyond Sam Mott to reduce the arrears.

Mott’s appearance for the afternoon was then cut short as a brave challenge at the feet of Ibra Sekajja resulted in him taking a knock to the head that required stitches and suffering concussion.

Despite both management teams being happy for Welling first half keeper Jamie Turner to be allowed to return as the match was purely a friendly, referee David Rock deemed it ‘not allowed’ and Wings player-manager Jamie Day was forced to don the goalkeeper shirt.

Earlier in the afternoon, Jose Baxter snatched an effort wide following Turner’s punch out, then Turner made a regulation save from Jonathan Parr.

Julian Speroni, in the Crystal Palace goal, had to be alert to cut out a Theo Fairweather-Johnson cross as Ross Lafayette lurked at the far post before the Eagles custodian had to come out quickly to head away as Luis Cumbers beat the offside trap.

Matt Parsons went on a great run and his deep cross was clipped back in by Baxter but Scott Kinch read the danger well and headed to safety over his own cross-bar.

Fairweather-Johnson had a shot saved by Speroni, low at the far post before Peter Ramage hit a Crystal Palace free kick just wide.

Speroni was again called into action to save from Cumbers after he had picked up a loose ball and burst through.

Glenn Murray had two good chances approaching half time, first pouncing onto a Baxter through ball before shooting wide of the near post and then glancing a header wide from a Baxter corner having made an excellent run to lose his marker.

David Wright scuffed a shot wide just before half time.

Substitute Ben Martin was busy early in the second half, first heading just wide from Day’s corner before showing his defensive prowess in heading away a similar Palace delivery.

Mott saved from Mile Jedinak before Welling stunned the visitors with a magnificent Obersteller solo effort. Showing the value of staying on his feet, he burst through four tackles, two of which could easily have resulted in the award of a penalty kick, before clipping the ball pat Speroni.

Four minutes later, Welling doubled their lead when Baker’s far post effort that may have taken a minor deflection, deceived Speroni to such an extent that he could only parry the ball into the net as he tumbled into his own goal.

Dikgacoi reduced arrears almost immediately as he made space and netted at the near post.

Sekajja lobbed over before Welling’s enforced change of goalkeeper but Day only had one save to make, smothering another Sekajja effort. Joe Healy, saw an effort deflected inches wide and despite late off target attempts by Sekajja and Kwesi Appiah, Welling held on with relative ease to stun their Championship visitors.

Welling United: Turner (Mott (Hudson)), Fazakerley (Williams), Obersteller (Filicek),Day, Franks (Martin), Acheampong, Kinch (Baker), Healy, Cumbers, Lafayette, Fairweather-Johnson.

Crystal Palace: Speroni, Tiago (Wynter), Parsons, Wright (Garvan), Yogo, Ramage (Marrow), Baxter (Appiah), Dikgacoi (Sekajja), Murray (Proctor), Jedinak (Fenwick), Parr (Williams).