Wings too strong for Stones

WELLING United continued their pre-season campaign with another victory, this time against their lower ranked opponents Maidstone United.

The Wings were helped to a resounding success thanks to a brace from Joe Healy and single strikes by Charlie Sheringham and Sol Pinnock.

Maidstone also helped the Welling cause by donating easy goals with shoddy defending, as well as missing a hatful of clear cut chances, with former Wing Lloyd Blackman the main culprit.

Manager Andy Ford said he was happy in the end, but added his side is not yet the finished article and there is still work to be done before August 9.

He explained: "We got there in the in the end but there were things which weren't right in the first half.

"Defensively we didn't look quite right, but goals win you games.

"The goals give you confidence and Joe Healy took his two very well and obviously Charlie did to, but this was obviously the difference between the two teams."

The Wings boss is also confident his side will be ready for their trip to Bath on Saturday week.

He added: "We are getting closer with every game.

"There were performances out there today which have secured a few more positions in the starting line-up.

"It is a long process really because trialists come in and they can muck it about.

"You have to cut a few short otherwise you will have too many numbers. I'm slowly getting there but I'm not quite there yet."

Ford then confirmed something every Welling fan would love to hear about the impressive Sonny Cobbs, who was instrumental in the Wings' survival last season, by adding: "Sonny is signing a new contract with us today."

Ford also revealed news on the injuries picked up by Jamie Turner and Orlando Smith.

He said: "Jamie had a scan last week and he is ok, so we will bring him slowly back in.

"Orlando is a different story. He is just doing the warm-ups at the moment and hasn't trained at all, so he won't make the first game."

The Welling manager kept tight-lipped about his agenda for signing players but was quick to point out there might still be some more fresh faces at Park View Road. "There may be one or two new players. We are up to about 15 already so we've got to tie up the last three or four."

Welling head to Ashford Town on Tuesday and News Shopper asked Ford if is there anything in particular he is looking for from the game.

He said: "I will be bedding in a back four to start the season. We are going to try and get 60 minutes out of a back four on Tuesday which could be our starting line-up."

Welling were firmly on the front foot against Maidstone with their lower ranked opponents happy to sit back, absorb the pressure and use the services of former Wings Blackman and James Pinnock as the focal point for their assault.

The Blue Square South side were then gifted a goal when Maidstone defender Roland Edge was caught in possession by Sheringham on the edge of the area.

Sheringham squared a pass to strike partner Healy, who converted the opportunity at the second attempt.

To their credit, Maidstone didn't give up or get downbeat and it took a deflection from Craig Braham-Barrett to stop the shot from Pinnock hitting the target two minutes later.

Welling created more chances soon after and Sheringham nearly chipped Andy Walker from 20 yards, only for the Maidstone goalkeeper to deny him with a fingertip save.

The hosts doubled their lead on 29 minutes when a long punt forward caught out the Maidstone defence, allowing Healy to get in and elevate his chip to perfection over Walker.

Maidstone continued to trouble a dysfunctional Wings defence and Blackman missed two sitters just before half-time.

The first one came on 41 minutes when a free-kick from Ian Selley found Blackman no more than four yards out, but he somehow managed to head over.

Then an even easier chance presented itself to the striker when a delivery in from the left found him seven or eight yards out in acres of space, but to everybody's disbelief he rolled his shot two yards wide.

Ford made seven changes at half-time and the new side were slow to start the second half.

The main difference between the sides was shown just before the hour.

On 57 minutes, Pinnock skied his shot from six yards whereas a minute later, Sheringham converted brilliantly from the same position to put the hosts three goals ahead.

The fourth goal came 19 minutes later as Maidstone let their standards slip and Pinnock near enough walked the ball into the net to complete the misery for the Stones.

Welling: S Andrews (Turner 45), Parkinson (Johnson 45), Braham-Barrett (Cobbs 45, Quinn 74), Quinn (Hearn 45), G Andrews (Sinclair 45), McEntegart (Braham-Barrett 74), Green, Blackburn (Smith 45) Healy (Stevens 67) Sheringham, Schoburg (Pinnock 45).