A cracking Boxing day derby this played out in front of 1400 fans. Top-of-the-table Dartford arrived with a healthy backing in black and white and within three minutes they had taken the lead. To rub salt into Welling wounds, it was former striker Andy Pugh who swept home from close range after a quick break and cross by Ryan Hayes.
Welling remained composed and took the game to the Darts who appeared more comfortable to sit back after the early goal. The glaringly obvious was that Dartford are a big side and Welling's front options in Goldberg and Romain lack height and with the diminutive Nanetti out wide, there was only one way Welling would score. They played in on the deck and stuck with it, Nanetti finally forcing a chance with low near post shot that came off a defender, struck the post and then hit keeper Ibrahim before being scrambled out.
Ian Gayle then saw a low shot skim the post as the Wings battled to get back on terms. Before half-time, Nanetti worked his was into the box from the left and his pull back pick out Goldberg whose volley wasn't hard enough and was too close to Ibrahim who was able to block.
I thought at half-time that dartford might open a bit and try to kill the game in the second-half and that's just what they did. Pugh raced in to double the lead and dartford suddenly looked rampant. Welling were struggling to contain them and only a fine piece of last-ditch goal-line defending by Driver prevented the third as he cleared a lob which came own off the bar. Welling responded strongly and Tom Bradrooke was giving the Darts backline a torrid time for every high ball. The Wings should have scored after a shot from distance took a slight deflection which meant Ibrahim spilt it on his line and it fell to the closing Gayle but he somehow managed to put it over the bar in front of the disbelieving home fans.
Welling hadn't had the rub-of-the-green from the referree and when a decent Nanetti penalty appeal was waved away I thought Welling's chance had gone. Moments later, however, Welling were finally awarded a free-kick on the edge of the area. With the Welling fan still hurling abuse at the Dartford wall for not retreating ten yards, Callum Driver stepped up and cut his free-kick perfectly over the wall an just inside Ibrahim's right-hand upright. Too-little-too-late? Welling were having none of it and they sensed their chance. Passing and moving with more urgency now, Dartford were stretched and it lead to a penalty which Monakana drove in low and left.
Two-two and I felt slightly sorry for Dartford who had looked the far more capable side. They immediately took the ball down to Welling's end and forced a couple of corners in front of their urging supporters. A ball out from one of these fell to Alfie Pavey whose swivelled strike are across the Wings goal and dipped in at the far post to win the match.
It was great advert for the National League South and the good news is they play each other again on New Years Day.
Meanwhile, twenty miles away news from Charlton's latest Christmas horror-show was trickling through to the crowd, most of whom appeared to have an interest. A 3-1 loss to out-of-form Southend. I suppose it's all relative when you are the bottom form side in the division.
Karl Robinson has been hit with injuries which have exposed the limitations of his squad and his playing personnel, although it's been coming all season and there really shouldn't be any great surprise. Much wailing and gnashing of teeth as per usual from the eternal optimists and another futile gesture from Robinson whose laughable response has been to order the players in for a 7am start this morning. He will be congratulating himself on how disciplined he now appears and reflecting in all the 'serves-em-right' comments from the same supporters. My bet is he will call training short and buy them all breakfast. Wigan must be licking their lips.
Welling remained composed and took the game to the Darts who appeared more comfortable to sit back after the early goal. The glaringly obvious was that Dartford are a big side and Welling's front options in Goldberg and Romain lack height and with the diminutive Nanetti out wide, there was only one way Welling would score. They played in on the deck and stuck with it, Nanetti finally forcing a chance with low near post shot that came off a defender, struck the post and then hit keeper Ibrahim before being scrambled out.
Ian Gayle then saw a low shot skim the post as the Wings battled to get back on terms. Before half-time, Nanetti worked his was into the box from the left and his pull back pick out Goldberg whose volley wasn't hard enough and was too close to Ibrahim who was able to block.
I thought at half-time that dartford might open a bit and try to kill the game in the second-half and that's just what they did. Pugh raced in to double the lead and dartford suddenly looked rampant. Welling were struggling to contain them and only a fine piece of last-ditch goal-line defending by Driver prevented the third as he cleared a lob which came own off the bar. Welling responded strongly and Tom Bradrooke was giving the Darts backline a torrid time for every high ball. The Wings should have scored after a shot from distance took a slight deflection which meant Ibrahim spilt it on his line and it fell to the closing Gayle but he somehow managed to put it over the bar in front of the disbelieving home fans.
Welling hadn't had the rub-of-the-green from the referree and when a decent Nanetti penalty appeal was waved away I thought Welling's chance had gone. Moments later, however, Welling were finally awarded a free-kick on the edge of the area. With the Welling fan still hurling abuse at the Dartford wall for not retreating ten yards, Callum Driver stepped up and cut his free-kick perfectly over the wall an just inside Ibrahim's right-hand upright. Too-little-too-late? Welling were having none of it and they sensed their chance. Passing and moving with more urgency now, Dartford were stretched and it lead to a penalty which Monakana drove in low and left.
Two-two and I felt slightly sorry for Dartford who had looked the far more capable side. They immediately took the ball down to Welling's end and forced a couple of corners in front of their urging supporters. A ball out from one of these fell to Alfie Pavey whose swivelled strike are across the Wings goal and dipped in at the far post to win the match.
It was great advert for the National League South and the good news is they play each other again on New Years Day.
Meanwhile, twenty miles away news from Charlton's latest Christmas horror-show was trickling through to the crowd, most of whom appeared to have an interest. A 3-1 loss to out-of-form Southend. I suppose it's all relative when you are the bottom form side in the division.
Karl Robinson has been hit with injuries which have exposed the limitations of his squad and his playing personnel, although it's been coming all season and there really shouldn't be any great surprise. Much wailing and gnashing of teeth as per usual from the eternal optimists and another futile gesture from Robinson whose laughable response has been to order the players in for a 7am start this morning. He will be congratulating himself on how disciplined he now appears and reflecting in all the 'serves-em-right' comments from the same supporters. My bet is he will call training short and buy them all breakfast. Wigan must be licking their lips.
Nice write up Dave.
ReplyDeleteWould appear that I missed a cracker.
Thanks for dropping the kids off.
Just getting over it, and a stone lighter.
See you for your farewell game on New Years Day?
No problem Tony - a fare's a fare right? I will see you at dartford on Monay unless a takeover is announced at the Valley in the meantime, which I seriously doubt.
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