On Friday evening Welling United travelled to Bath City and returned with a hard-fought point.

There was little to choose between the teams in the first half. Bath had the first goal attempt when Kai McKenzie-Lyle dived to save Danny Greenslade’s long range shot before Welling’s first opportunity came when Medy Elito found Taylor Maloney who played it in to Stefan Payne. He turned his man, but Kieran Parselle got round to make a goal saving block.

Amadou Kassarate attempted a spectacular bicycle kick that didn’t come off. Instead, it fell to Elito who fired over.

Warren Feeney was then forced to make a change when an injury to Ade Azeez meant that he could not continue and had to be replaced by Antony Papadopoulos.

Goal action was at a premium for the remainder of the first half as both teams probed but the defences held sway.

At the break, a second change was enforced on the Wings with Kassarate being unable to continue. Yaser Kasim started the second period in his place.

Early on, after the interval, Dan Hayfield got on the end of a slick passing movement, but McKenzie-Lyle made an excellent low save. Then Luke Spokes’ shot on the turn clipped the bar. Papadopoulos fired over before the Romans went ahead. In the build-up, Maloney took a kick in the ribs, but the referee allowed play to continue. Eventually it rebounded into the path of Callum Ebanks and he hooked it home.

Hayfield shot well over before Welling came back into the game following a minor change in their formation. Nine minutes were left on the clock when Welling levelled in spectacular style. Elito controlled it well down the left hand side before laying it into the path of Maloney and he launched an unstoppable twenty-five yarder into the top corner.

After that, if anyone was going to win it, it was going to be the Wings. Maloney thought that he had done just that with a shot that looked like it was going inside the far post but took a late deflection to take it wide.

Chi Ezennolim then kept his feet when two attempted fouls failed to bring him down, but he lost his balance at the point of shooting, and it went well wide. Finally, Payne held it up and laid it off for Kasim but his fierce near post shot was saved superbly by Josh Gould.

Welling United: McKenzie, Howard (Barnes 84), Ezennolim, Dunne, Sendles-White, Parry, Elito, Kassarate (Kasim 46), Azeez (Papadopoulos 25), Payne, Maloney. Sub not used: Curran, Andrews.

 

Although disappointed not to put a win on the board, it was a good point for Welling on the road under difficult circumstances.