Another strong Welling United performance proved too much for Chippenham Town.

On a difficult playing surface, Welling had to moderate their style slightly and Steve King made four changes to the starting line-up handing full league debuts Brendan Kiernan, John Paul Kissock and Richard Orlu. He also gave Bradley Goldberg his first start of the season.

Early goal attempts went the way of the hosts and Dan Wilks was called upon to make pretty straight-forwards saves from Karnell Chambers, Kieran Parselle and Josh Smile in the first ten minutes.

However, Welling’s first attack was more penetrative and they went ahead with twelve minutes on the clock. Goldberg’s header was blocked out as far as the edge of the penalty and Brendan Kiernan lashed it into the top corner.

Andy Sandell headed wide from a corner before the Bluebirds levelled. A long throw was knocked on and Chambers stole in to finish.

Welling went back ahead when Danny Mills was brought down just inside the penalty area. Goldberg took the responsibility and sent Will Henry the wrong way from the spot.

Jordan Gibbons combined well with Kiernan but did not make a clean contact with his shot and it rolled wide.

Five minutes before the break, Welling added a third. Henry made a brilliant save from Mills’ but it only came out as far as Thierry Audel who hooked the rebound home for his second goal of the season.

After the break Goldberg, defending from the front, nicked the ball from one of the centre halves and fired off a quick shot. Unfortunately, it was a little too straight and Henry made an easy save.

Jack Jebb sent Mills away but he was unable to finish then Mills pulled back to Jebb and his low shot brought a good save out of Henry who turned it round the post.

Wilks made a near post save from Sandell before Chambers fired across the face of goal.

Kiernan, who had scored the first goal, also notched the final one. Mills did superbly in midfield to switch the ball out to the right wing before hurtling into the penalty area to meet the cross. He then headed back across the face of goal to find Kiernan whose stooping header found the net.

Audel limped off to be replaced by Anthony Acheampong in the closing minutes and King will be monitoring closely ahead of Tuesday’s match with the bookmakers championship favourites Billericay Town.

 

Chippenham Town: Henry, Rigg, Tindle, Richads, Ferguson, Jarvis (McCootie 63), Guthrie (Jones 84), Parselle, Chambers, Smile, Sandell (Smith 77).

Subs not used: Jones, Evans, Ellington.

 

Welling United: Wilks, Gibbons, Braham-Barrett, Jebb, Audel (Acheampong 84), Orlu, Kiernan, Ijaha, Mills, Goldberg (McCallum 63), Kissock (Mendy 63).

Subs not used: L’Ghoul, Pinney.

 

Chippenham Town:

Goalscorers: Parnell (22)

Yellow cards: Tindle.

Red cards: None

 

Welling United:

Goalscorers: Kiernan (12) (81), Goldberg pen (37), Audel (40)

Yellow cards: Braham-Barrett, Ijaha.

Red cards: None

 

 

Referee: Robert Massey-Ellis

Assistants: Ryan Williams and Marcus Carmichael

 

Attendance: 498

 

Welling star player: Brendan Kiernan

Images courtesy of Dave Budden