First Wings match in months. First game I have seen under new manager Bradley Quinton and half the players have changed. That's probably just the rate of player turnover at Welling as opposed to Quinton-lead changes although he's no doubt had an input.
I wasn't sure to what to expect in terms of the gate in these Covid-obsessed times but the verdict was unanimous - local fans weren't being denied their fix and the gate was 80% up on normal with just under a thousand present. It was clear from the Charlton, Millwall and even Palace emblems on display just where many of the additional fans came from.
The game itself was good to watch. Welling took it to the visitors in the first-half and it was evident that there was a shoot-on-sight policy. Billericay's big and mobile defence played very well but Welling had more movement and their quicker passing created opportunities, albeit most were snapshots from distance. Alan Julian in the visitors goal made six or seven good saves beating out and parrying everything Welling could throw at him. Just before the break Welling got in close. Captain Rob Swaine rose highest at the back post from a free-kick and directed a header back across goal which Coombes (I think) got to but his header flashed agonisingly wide.
After the break, with Welling kicking towards their favoured Park View Road, we hoped for the winner but I suspected Billericay might hold out and probably snatch a winner - just like we are used to at the Valley. The chances weren't coming and the game slowed in midfield until the around the 70th minute when Welling once again tested Julian. In front of the vocal home fans, he was impressing and having a bit of banter. It all turned abruptly though with a quick Wings move down the right and curling back-post cross which was met 12 yards out eight feet up by Adam Coombes. The contact was perfect and there was absolutely nothing Julian could do to stop it. It screamed across the goal and into the top right hand corner. Coombes is the stand-out talent at Welling and possibly in this division. When he wants to know he can be imperious but he simply doesn't want to know often enough. That header was a thing of beauty and would have beaten any keeper in the world.
Billericay tried to force an equaliser but with nothing coming, manager Jamie O'Hara, brought himself into the action. I was looking forward to seeing O'Hara at the ground but didn't imagine he'd play. After his assumed dig at Matt Southall on Twitter in the week I was ready to congratulate him but would have been drowned out by the cacophony of abuse. Wikipedia tells me O'Hara is only 33 years old but he was carrying the weight of a 43 year old former player and he was sporting a pair of shorts which would have clothed Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink comfortably. The grief was merciless and even had Julian laughing in the Billericay goal. He can still splay passes but the pace has gone and it's clear he couldn't do more than fifteen minutes as he tired quickly.
Bradley Goldberg came on as a sub and within a few minutes he was tripped in the box for a disputed penalty that Cook despatched low and hard to Julian's right. That was game over and it sent the fans home happy. Welling are up to 13th and with a game in hand could be within two wins of the play-offs. If Covid doesn't halt the National League, Welling could be a rare club to prosper in these troubled times.
I wasn't sure to what to expect in terms of the gate in these Covid-obsessed times but the verdict was unanimous - local fans weren't being denied their fix and the gate was 80% up on normal with just under a thousand present. It was clear from the Charlton, Millwall and even Palace emblems on display just where many of the additional fans came from.
The game itself was good to watch. Welling took it to the visitors in the first-half and it was evident that there was a shoot-on-sight policy. Billericay's big and mobile defence played very well but Welling had more movement and their quicker passing created opportunities, albeit most were snapshots from distance. Alan Julian in the visitors goal made six or seven good saves beating out and parrying everything Welling could throw at him. Just before the break Welling got in close. Captain Rob Swaine rose highest at the back post from a free-kick and directed a header back across goal which Coombes (I think) got to but his header flashed agonisingly wide.
After the break, with Welling kicking towards their favoured Park View Road, we hoped for the winner but I suspected Billericay might hold out and probably snatch a winner - just like we are used to at the Valley. The chances weren't coming and the game slowed in midfield until the around the 70th minute when Welling once again tested Julian. In front of the vocal home fans, he was impressing and having a bit of banter. It all turned abruptly though with a quick Wings move down the right and curling back-post cross which was met 12 yards out eight feet up by Adam Coombes. The contact was perfect and there was absolutely nothing Julian could do to stop it. It screamed across the goal and into the top right hand corner. Coombes is the stand-out talent at Welling and possibly in this division. When he wants to know he can be imperious but he simply doesn't want to know often enough. That header was a thing of beauty and would have beaten any keeper in the world.
Billericay tried to force an equaliser but with nothing coming, manager Jamie O'Hara, brought himself into the action. I was looking forward to seeing O'Hara at the ground but didn't imagine he'd play. After his assumed dig at Matt Southall on Twitter in the week I was ready to congratulate him but would have been drowned out by the cacophony of abuse. Wikipedia tells me O'Hara is only 33 years old but he was carrying the weight of a 43 year old former player and he was sporting a pair of shorts which would have clothed Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink comfortably. The grief was merciless and even had Julian laughing in the Billericay goal. He can still splay passes but the pace has gone and it's clear he couldn't do more than fifteen minutes as he tired quickly.
Bradley Goldberg came on as a sub and within a few minutes he was tripped in the box for a disputed penalty that Cook despatched low and hard to Julian's right. That was game over and it sent the fans home happy. Welling are up to 13th and with a game in hand could be within two wins of the play-offs. If Covid doesn't halt the National League, Welling could be a rare club to prosper in these troubled times.
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