Debatable refereeing combined with a disappointing first half brought about the end to Welling United’s eight match unbeaten run at home to Wealdstone.
“There are decisions all day that I can’t answer.” said baffled Welling manager Jamie Coyle. “I got sworn at by an official for the first time in my career and I’ve questioned it. I’ve asked him why and he’s given me a yellow card. It’s the first time in 17 or 18 years that’s happened to me.”
Decisions that had him mystified included a very soft penalty and the dismissal of Ben Jefford but he also admitted that Welling were on the back foot in the first half. “They were picking up a lot of second balls in midfield. They did a job on us in the first half.
“I thought that they were the better side, but not creating much apart from crosses and a couple of headers that they could potentially done better with. In the second half I thought we did really well. The decision for the penalty kind of knocked the stuffing out of us, a little bit. We started really well in the second half and looked as though we were going to push on and potentially get the equaliser.
“Second half, I can’t fault the boys.” he continued. “The commitment, the desire, the work rate they put in, especially with ten men, was phenomenal. It’s just a few decisions today have gone against us at key points of the game and it’s unfortunate that it’s led to us losing the game.”
On the award of the penalty against them, Coyle said “Apparently, it was a push but it was just shoulder to shoulder. You see it every week. Dillon (Barnes)’s favourite to get the ball, so he wasn’t going to get the ball, the centre forward, so it’s an officiating decision that’s gone against us at a crucial point of the game.”
Speaking about Jefford’s dismissal, he questioned whether it was necessary to make the challenge. “He’s allowed the referee to make a decision. The lino (Assistant Referee) didn’t even give a foul. The referee decided that it was a foul and a red card. There have been officiating decisions that I’ve never seen before in my whole career.”
Next Saturday, Welling travel to St Albans and Coyle has already thought about preparations for the game. “We’ve won six on the bounce and we’ve been tremendous but we have to go again now. From next Saturday we’ve got to put another run together. I’m going to try and get a friendly on Tuesday. There’s quite a few boys that need a run. They need some minutes under their belt.”
Goalkeeper Barnes has one game remaining for Welling before his loan period expires so Coyle will be hoping that Kleton Perntreou returns to fitness. He explained “Kleton got injured in the warm up last week. He’s struggling with his back and we’ll get the results of his MRI today or tomorrow. We’ll monitor that.”.
On Monday, Coyle will oppose Parkinson in the afternoon before sitting together in the Park View Road stand in the evening. Coyle coaches Maidstone United’s academy whilst Parkinson runs Phoenix Sports’. “It will be interesting.” said Coyle. “Our squad II are playing against his academy boys who’ve started really well.
“I’ll throw a few things at him in the dug out.” he joked, “then on Monday night we’ve got the F.A. Youth Cup and we’ll watch the (Welling) young guns play Margate which will be another tough game, but there’s a real good feeling around the club at the moment.
“You’ve got the youth team doing really well. Tristan (Lewis)’s done really well getting a decent academy together and we’re all batting in the right direction.”
The Youth Cup match kicks off at 19:30 on Monday 30th October at Park View Road.