An absorbing and entertaining match this, if slightly disappointing result from a Welling United point of view. The Wings are the form side in the National League South and have moved themselves into genuine automatic promotion contention in recent weeks. A win today would have moved them up to second in the table but sharing the spoils means they have to be content with fourth spot.
In front of 636 fans, the Wings started like a steam train and really should have taken the lead and control of this game. In the opening two minutes Louis Wells in the Concord goal pulled off two excellent close range saves to deny Christian Nanetti who was following up from the right on two fine Wellings raids down the left lead by Jeffrey Monakana and supported by Jebb, Healy and Goldberg. Just as the home fans started to settle, Welling came very close again and Wells this time managed to save one-handed and push the ball up and out beyond his far post when it looked in all the way.
The Wings have been guilty of squandering early chances in other home matches and the early flurry of opportunities almost inevitably lead to Concord Rangers settling more into the match. They were disciplined and lead from the back by Steve King who had an excellent game. In front of King, Amos Nasha swept up and prompted the midfield in front of him. Welling were generally a match-up or better elsewhere but the Concord spine with Ben Greenhalgh at centre-forward was strong. It was Nasha who opened the scoring by running on to a ball in from the left on a quick break and steering it high inside the near-post with debutant keeper, Callum Kitscha, clutching air.
Welling continued to boss possession in the first-half but didn't have enough penetration in the centre of their attack to finish off some excellent play down the flanks with Jebb and Healy supporting Nanetti and Monkana. Bradley Goldberg is a decent striker but he is small and it's asking a lot for him to lead the line on his own.
After the break, and with the Wings kicking towards the massed home fans at the main road end, Welling looked more lively but again it was Concord who scored after a counter-attack down the right lead by Greenhalgh in which Kitscha was caught out of goal and Farrell only had to hit the target in front of the ten visiting supporters.
Two-nil and time for Jamie Coyle to change the game by bringing on the bigger and stronger front pairing of Phipps and Bradbrook. Almost immediately, Concorde were under more pressure and the very-cool Joe Healy took the ball through two challenges before driving home a low shot which Wells couldn't stop this time. Two-one with 25 minutes remaining and Welling went for it. The difference between the sides was now fully apparent and it was no surprise when Phipps met a swirling cross from left-back Archie Johnson to volley the ball home from close range with the outside of his boot. Welling continued to press and Phipps got his reward for a surging run under pressure which saw him force his way into the box and see his cross-shot deflected high past Wells into the top of the net.
Three-two from two-line down with only five minutes left but the visitors weren't done and the spine of their side had stood up and they had counter-attacked effectively all afternoon. So it was that they had the last laugh scoring in the 92nd minute when sub Femi Akinwande capitalised on a far-post mix-up which again had all the eyes looking suspiciously at Kitscha in the Welling green jersey.
It's a real shame that Welling struggle to maintain a consistent squad of players because they have the nucleus of a really good side. Dillon Barnes has been outstanding in goal this season but, like Eliah Phipps, is on short-term loan from Colchester and has just returned. However, they are competitive and disciplined, which they will need to be next week when they travel to fifth-placed Hemel Hempstead.
In front of 636 fans, the Wings started like a steam train and really should have taken the lead and control of this game. In the opening two minutes Louis Wells in the Concord goal pulled off two excellent close range saves to deny Christian Nanetti who was following up from the right on two fine Wellings raids down the left lead by Jeffrey Monakana and supported by Jebb, Healy and Goldberg. Just as the home fans started to settle, Welling came very close again and Wells this time managed to save one-handed and push the ball up and out beyond his far post when it looked in all the way.
The Wings have been guilty of squandering early chances in other home matches and the early flurry of opportunities almost inevitably lead to Concord Rangers settling more into the match. They were disciplined and lead from the back by Steve King who had an excellent game. In front of King, Amos Nasha swept up and prompted the midfield in front of him. Welling were generally a match-up or better elsewhere but the Concord spine with Ben Greenhalgh at centre-forward was strong. It was Nasha who opened the scoring by running on to a ball in from the left on a quick break and steering it high inside the near-post with debutant keeper, Callum Kitscha, clutching air.
Welling continued to boss possession in the first-half but didn't have enough penetration in the centre of their attack to finish off some excellent play down the flanks with Jebb and Healy supporting Nanetti and Monkana. Bradley Goldberg is a decent striker but he is small and it's asking a lot for him to lead the line on his own.
After the break, and with the Wings kicking towards the massed home fans at the main road end, Welling looked more lively but again it was Concord who scored after a counter-attack down the right lead by Greenhalgh in which Kitscha was caught out of goal and Farrell only had to hit the target in front of the ten visiting supporters.
Two-nil and time for Jamie Coyle to change the game by bringing on the bigger and stronger front pairing of Phipps and Bradbrook. Almost immediately, Concorde were under more pressure and the very-cool Joe Healy took the ball through two challenges before driving home a low shot which Wells couldn't stop this time. Two-one with 25 minutes remaining and Welling went for it. The difference between the sides was now fully apparent and it was no surprise when Phipps met a swirling cross from left-back Archie Johnson to volley the ball home from close range with the outside of his boot. Welling continued to press and Phipps got his reward for a surging run under pressure which saw him force his way into the box and see his cross-shot deflected high past Wells into the top of the net.
Three-two from two-line down with only five minutes left but the visitors weren't done and the spine of their side had stood up and they had counter-attacked effectively all afternoon. So it was that they had the last laugh scoring in the 92nd minute when sub Femi Akinwande capitalised on a far-post mix-up which again had all the eyes looking suspiciously at Kitscha in the Welling green jersey.
It's a real shame that Welling struggle to maintain a consistent squad of players because they have the nucleus of a really good side. Dillon Barnes has been outstanding in goal this season but, like Eliah Phipps, is on short-term loan from Colchester and has just returned. However, they are competitive and disciplined, which they will need to be next week when they travel to fifth-placed Hemel Hempstead.
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