Tonbridge Angels Academy 3 Welling United Academy 5

Match 71/23/2194 - Wednesday, 18th January 2024 - National League U19 Alliance

Tonbridge Angels Academy (3) 3 F. Dudley 25 Velvick 42 Vowles (pen) 45+2
Welling United Academy (2) 5
Headcount: 15
Admission: Free
Mileage: 38/5,056

Tonbridge Angels Academy fell to defeat in a highly entertaining, goal-laden game against a very good, title chasing Welling United at Longmead on Wednesday lunchtime.

Both teams held games in hand on present leaders Ebbsfleet United, but it is the south London side that moved to within three points of the top with three games in hand.

The visitors started the game and enjoyed the early possession also creating the best of the chances with the Angels’ goalkeeper, Jay Blake, being the busier of the two. After eight minutes he was rounded but the angle became too tight for the Welling #8 who also brought a save from Blake. In response, after 16 minutes, Hayden Velvick outpaced the Wings defence down the left and his pull back from the bye line brought a save at the near post from Ollie Thomson.

Blake was also in the action after 24 minutes turning over a good effort from the edge of the box.

But, it was the Angels that went in front within a minute when the Welling goalkeeper strayed from his area to clear but was beaten to the ball by Josh McArthur whose pass allowed Felix Dudley to score.

The lead was only to last three minutes as a ball over the top of the Angels defence saw #22 run on to lob Blake, the ball came back off the post but the forward followed up to tap home.

Welling moved in front after 32 minutes when #8 lobbed the ball past the advancing Blake to score despite the desperate attempts to clear by Toby Allen.

The end-to-end nature of the game continued with a Thomson header and a Leo Vowles shot before the Welling goalkeeper was robbed on the edge of his box, dallying over a clearance, by McArthur with the ball falling to Velvick to score.

Confusion reigned, two minutes into first half added time when a handball first appeared to have brought a penalty decision that then turned into a free kick on the edge only for the assistant referee to confirm that a penalty should be the award. There was no confusion though as Vowles blasted his spot kick into the roof of the net to give the Angels a half-time 3-2 lead.

After both goalkeepers had made early second half saves, Welling equalised on 56 minutes with a shot that struck the inside of a post before crossing the line, once again at the behest of the eagle-eyed assistant referee.

Encouraged by the goal, Welling pressed forward and Ashton Thomas was needed to clear from the line before, after 65 minutes, a cross from the left was met with a towering header from #4 to give the visitors the lead.

Tonbridge worked hard in response with efforts from Tom Scott-Smith firing over; a header from Thomas going wide but with the last kick of the match, Welling’s #14 broke clear to seal the points.