Defeat at Enfield Town has put Welling United dangling perilously over the Vanarama National League South trap door.
Rod Stringer described matches such as this as ‘must not lose’ after drawing with St. Albans City on Saturday. However, his team put in a disappointing performance that left the travelling supporters despondent.
They could have gone behind early on when a Jack Bates corner was pushed out by Rhys Lovett as far as Sam Youngs. His header back was palmed away by the Wings goalkeeper who then struggled with the cross when it was hoisted back in. It fell to Hisham Kasimu but he prodded it wide from close range.
Another Bates corner picked out Adam Thompson who was unable to keep it down before a scramble in the Enfield penalty area ended with a desperate clearance. Again, Bates caused problems with a corner and Lovett’s reaction stop saved Dave Winfield from an own goal for the second consecutive match.
At the other end, James Alabi chested down a long pass forward to Josh Redfearn and he tried to send Daniel Martin through but Rhys Forster read the danger and burst out to smother.
Bates struck another free kick that Lovett turned around the post however, the Wings conceded from the corner. Bates delivered to the near post and Youngs met it with a firm header into the net.
As half time approached, Forster had to race out to clear but hoofed it straight to Jayden Davis out wide and his first time effort from thirty-five yards out flew just over.
Early in the second half, Bates hit a free kick over before Enfield scored a second just after the hour mark. Bates was again involved with an excellent through ball that sent former Wing Anointed Chukwu through, and he made no mistake when slotting it home for his first Towners goal.
Stringer made changes to his team’s line-up and shape but it made little change and Kasimu went close to adding a third with a diagonal shot that went just beyond the far post.
Bayley Brown then headed forward and it was knocked back out to him however, his follow up shot went meekly wide.
Although TJ Bramble fired over from twenty-five yards and Gene Kennedy had a shot deflected wide, Welling didn’t look like getting back into the match and fell to a demoralising loss.
Enfield Town: Forster, Leanard, Stallard, Parcell, Thompson, Hawkins, Bates, Youngs (Smith 89), Chukwu (Hutchinson 83), Kasimu (Whittaker 74), Brown.
Subs not used: Beckles-Richards, Connolly.
Goalscorers: Youngs (37), Chukwu (61)
Yellow card: Parcell (39 foul), Stallard (55 foul), Hawkins (69 foul)
Welling United: Lovett, Davis (Kamara 67), Martin (H. Walker 67), Quick, Winfield, Di Trolio, Kennedy, Grant (Z. Walker 50), Alabi, Redfearn (Burchell 71), Bramble.
Subs not used: Cornish.
Goalscorers: None
Yellow cards: Kennedy (35 foul), Di Trolio (41 foul), Bramble (74 foul)
Referee: Morgan Conn
Assistants: Bogdan Khimych and Chad Greatorex
Fourth Official: Craig Wood
Attendance: 744
Pictures supplied by Dave Budden.