An hour around the M25 and I was at Vauxhall Road to see the Wings take on the side one below them in the table. It was a wintry day and the match was played in a light drizzle throughout but it didn't stop a fine match with plenty of good football.
The Tudors bossed the first-half and a finely taken early goal had the Wings on the back-foot. They nearly forced an equaliser after about half-an-hour but the home keeper did well to keep a Tom Bradbrook effort out. Welling were coming more into the match but Hemel were stronger in centre midfield where man-of-the-match, Jordan Parkes, pulled the strings whenever they moved forward. Five minutes before half-time and Welling conceded a penalty which Hemel converted to go in two-up at the break.
Kicking down the slight slope in the second-half we were treated to a rejuvenated Welling. Elias Phipps was on and his pace and threat down the right had Hemel pegged back. However, it was a splendid overlapping run from left-back Archie Johnson which lead to a pearler of a cross which Tom Bradbrook fought to get his head to and he did it justice with a rasping header which flew in under the bar.
Welling sensed blood now and they threw everything at the home defence. The Hemel keeper was forced out wide to clear but his downfield kick was knocked quickly in field to the wily Joe Healy who planted a 40-plus yard shot towards the goal with the keeper still sprinting back to his posts. There was nothing he could do as the ball bounced home for 2-2 (see Joe's longshot here http://www.thenationalleague.org.uk/match-info/match-centre/1-2850626) were rocking now and minutes later Welling should have made it 3-2 after the mother of all goalmouth scrambles. The ball cannoned off bodies, spun, was defected and palmed off the line before it was eventually hacked clear.
The scare was enough to send Hemel straight back at Welling and they struck a post as they took the match to the visitors again for ten minutes. Callum Kitscha in the Welling goal has struggled with crosses since stepping into the side and his lack of command of his six yard box was painful to watch as defenders around him made block after block and clearance after clearance to keep Hemel at bay.
The draw was the right result and a good return for the Wings after a torrid first-half. They are missing on-loan Dylan Barnes in goal after he returned to Colchester but Kleton Permtreou should be fit to return soon.
At the Valley the Addicks also drew 2-2 but it was a case of two points dropped after missing yet more chances and seeing the Dons get a fortunate last minute penalty just after we had gone 2-1 up. Despite our great start and sitting in fifth, having only one capable striker at the club is costing us points.
The Tudors bossed the first-half and a finely taken early goal had the Wings on the back-foot. They nearly forced an equaliser after about half-an-hour but the home keeper did well to keep a Tom Bradbrook effort out. Welling were coming more into the match but Hemel were stronger in centre midfield where man-of-the-match, Jordan Parkes, pulled the strings whenever they moved forward. Five minutes before half-time and Welling conceded a penalty which Hemel converted to go in two-up at the break.
Kicking down the slight slope in the second-half we were treated to a rejuvenated Welling. Elias Phipps was on and his pace and threat down the right had Hemel pegged back. However, it was a splendid overlapping run from left-back Archie Johnson which lead to a pearler of a cross which Tom Bradbrook fought to get his head to and he did it justice with a rasping header which flew in under the bar.
Welling sensed blood now and they threw everything at the home defence. The Hemel keeper was forced out wide to clear but his downfield kick was knocked quickly in field to the wily Joe Healy who planted a 40-plus yard shot towards the goal with the keeper still sprinting back to his posts. There was nothing he could do as the ball bounced home for 2-2 (see Joe's longshot here http://www.thenationalleague.org.uk/match-info/match-centre/1-2850626) were rocking now and minutes later Welling should have made it 3-2 after the mother of all goalmouth scrambles. The ball cannoned off bodies, spun, was defected and palmed off the line before it was eventually hacked clear.
The scare was enough to send Hemel straight back at Welling and they struck a post as they took the match to the visitors again for ten minutes. Callum Kitscha in the Welling goal has struggled with crosses since stepping into the side and his lack of command of his six yard box was painful to watch as defenders around him made block after block and clearance after clearance to keep Hemel at bay.
The draw was the right result and a good return for the Wings after a torrid first-half. They are missing on-loan Dylan Barnes in goal after he returned to Colchester but Kleton Permtreou should be fit to return soon.
At the Valley the Addicks also drew 2-2 but it was a case of two points dropped after missing yet more chances and seeing the Dons get a fortunate last minute penalty just after we had gone 2-1 up. Despite our great start and sitting in fifth, having only one capable striker at the club is costing us points.
Good read that Dave. Pretty much how I see it.
ReplyDeleteThis league will go to the wire.
Think Dartford will win it, but wouldn't like to call the next six play off places.
Saying that, if Welling can get a decent keeper in for the next league game, who knows?
They have got two weeks to deal with it.
I owe Callum Kitscha credit having seen the highlights. He did brilliantly well to touch a short range effort into a post in the last few minutes which early the Wings a point.
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