Welling United 4 Tonbridge 1

Match 58/12/1011 - Tuesday, 12 March 2013 - Conference South

Welling United (2) 4 Acheampong 39,80 Lafayette 43, Clarke 62
Tonbridge (0) 1 Collin 49
Att. 447

Entrance: £7 Senior
Programme: £1.00 (from postponed fixture)
Mileage: 76/4,520

Match Report

The season is warming up nicely for an exciting last six weeks, it's a shame that the weather cannot do likewise and make the watching a tad more comfortable. Promotion for Gillingham is within touching distance, Tunbridge Wells' focus may well be on the FA Vase, but they are competing on several other fronts, but sadly, Tonbridge's last month is going to be nervously looking over their shoulders unless victories can be obtained in a trio of six-pointer home fixtures.

As the board displayed four minutes of time added, I took my leave from Park View Road, the cold had permeated my two pairs of socks and there was not the masochistic streak in me to see the game to its conclusion just for the hell of it. The night was over for Tonbridge, they had been well beaten by a Welling side that surely will take their place in Conference National next season.

Last season, over the course of the nine months, Dartford deserved to win promotion from their play-off game against Welling, but it was the Wings that probably deserved the result on the day. From that disappointment, Welling lost key players and replaced them with players of a similar mould and have built a side that is big and strong but capable of playing some decent football along the way.

Losing the champions-elect is no disgrace, but the manner in which the defeat was inflicted will hurt everybody involved with Tonbridge. They were vulnerable throughout to set pieces when Welling sent forward their big central defenders, Ben Martin and Anthony Acheampong, to get on the end of superbly delivered crosses from Jack Obersteller in particular.

Tonbridge did well to get beyond the 40th minute with their goal still intact, but two goals in the half's final five minutes left them with a mountain to climb that was never likely to be scaled. The first goal after 39 minutes was as straightforward as they come. An Obersteller corner from the right travelled to the far post from where Acheampong jumped highest to head into the corner from close range. Tonbridge barely had time to regain their composure before they found themselves two down, Kiernan Hughes-Mason outstripped Jon Heath down Welling's right hand side and his cross was met by Ross Lafayette who powered another header into the net.

The visitors needed an early goal in the second half to get any sort of foothold in the game and this duly came within four minutes of the restart when Frannie Collin got on the end of a Mikel Suarez pass and duly despatched the opportunity past Sam Mott. Unfortunately, it was the Wings that drew momentum from the set back and several chances were passed up before Lee Clarke rolled a shot past Lee Worgan into the far corner after more good work from Obersteller.

Frannie Collin had an opportunity to put pressure on the home side with 20 minutes remaining, fastening onto a Suarez headed flick-on, the striker's well hit shot was beaten away by Mott and cleared.

Tonbridge's vulnerability at set pieces was once again highlighted with 10 minutes remaining when another corner was once again met by Acheampong, who stabbed the ball over the line from no more than a couple of yards.

Tonbridge fielded two new signings, Anthony Sinclair-Furlonge at centre back and Ashley Miller, from Gillingham. Both had difficult debuts, Sinclair-Furlonge looked good on the ball at times but with no dominance at the set pieces has to take his fair share of the blame for the defensive deficiencies whilst Miller was virtually anonymous.

Saturday brings the first of the vital six-pointers when Eastbourne Borough visit Longmead and it has to be assumed, and hoped, that they are not going to carry the same threat as this powerful Welling side.