After defeat at Eastbourne Borough seven days earlier, Welling United returned to winning ways with a victory at home to Burgess Hill Town to move them back up to second place in the Isthmian League Premier Division. After the match, Welling manager Ryan Maxwell shared his thoughts with Mark Doig.
“It’s important that you can bounce back after a defeat, albeit a one-nil close defeat, and we’ve had a really good week in training. You can read the room with these boys. They’re determined, focussed, and they wanted to put the record straight today.
“It was a very good performance. If I’m honest we’ve given them two goals through two errors. It’s a bitter-sweet win. Frustration, but ultimately we scored four goals and we scored some crackers too. It’s just disappointing to not have a clean sheet amongst that because it was two errors from us. However, I think the performance today was excellent with a bit of everything in it. It had disciplined attacking flair, desire, it had possession, it had discipline out of possession.”
Jaden Brissett and Kweku Lucan were added to the squad during the week and included on the substitutes’ bench. Maxwell said “Two new players came in and came on. Chrissy Harris got his first start today. I thought he was instrumental and made a goal with his flick on so there were loads of positives today. Just a clean sheet would have been perfect but we’ll work on that on Tuesday.
“Pace and trickery (is what they bring)”. He continued. “It will take a little while. We do things differently here than a lot of clubs but they’ll adapt. They seem to have good character and when talking to them I can tell they have some IQ that’s needed. I thought I’d get them both on to sample. Disappointed that we conceded as I wanted them both to go out and enjoy themselves but in the end, they didn’t get as much of an opportunity that I’d like them to have done. They can play on both sides and even one can play through the middle as well. It was something I think we needed to add to the squad and we’ve added it.”
On Welling’s remarkable home record, Maxwell beamed “We’ve played twelve (league games) here, won eleven and drawn one if you include the last five games here from last season. (This season) Seven wins out of seven and conceded three goals including today’s two so it’s obviously a fortress. All the players have to get a measure of credit for that. We drill them, mentally, to look after it, to protect the place, each other, and the club, and they protect the record.
“Seven’s a nice number, twenty-seven would be nicer, but I’m just delighted that we’ve done this because when the fans see this being turned into a fortress, if that doesn’t entice them here, than what will? It was nice to see so many stay behind today after the game, all the way down the back of the goal there were people hanging back to talk to the players, which was great so let’s keep it a fortress with head’s down and keep on working.
“It was a team performance. I prefer it when the team is the man of the match because it means that everyone’s contributed but I’ve got to say that Fum (Fumnaya Shomotun)’s got to get it because the goals were outstanding. Two goals and an assist. There you go.”
Welling were due to play another home game on Tuesday night but their scheduled opposition, Leatherhead, now have an FA Cup replay so they have no match. Maxwell said “It would have been nice to have been back here again on a Saturday/Tuesday to keep the momentum going as well but such is football that it was a possibility that they’d draw today so we’ll adapt and play them when we have to. There’s always a bit of an added advantage that when we’ve signed players they get a chance to spend some time with the boys, give them some information, and generally feel more part of it so that’s a positive out of it certainly.”
Nathan Cooper was out so Maxwell had to reshuffle his back four. “He (Cooper) was suspended today so it was a massive ask for Zak (O’Keefe) to come in and do what he did.” said Maxwell. “He was fantastic today, as was Lekan (Majoyegbe). Lekan was brilliant and Zuriel (Otseh-Taiwo) was outstanding, let me just tell you that, and Chris (Arthur) was brilliant as well. The back four were superb, absolutely brilliant. I’m delighted for Zak to play so well in a different position. He’s a young man but nothing phases him, that boy.
“He’s played centre half most of his days. It’s only when he came here that I said ‘I want you to go right back.’ We’ve worked with him as a right back but we always knew that he had the centre half capabilities, that was the position he played as a youngster. He’s only eighteen but he’s got great maturity, loads of guts, loads of desire and that’s why Zak’s got a chance in the game.”
Otseh-Taiwo has played both full back positions recently. Maxwell said “I thought he was brilliant today. They hardly got a cross in from his side. His distances, his footwork, were superb, decision making, yeah brilliant performance. I’m pleased for him. He’s had a bit of a stop/starty one but his attitude has been outstanding. He’s stayed the course, he’s stayed focussed, he’s stayed disciplined and he deserves real credit today.”
On the injury situation, there was mixed news. “It looks like Macca (Mackenzie Foley) will be back within a week.” said Maxwell. “He’ll train this week and we’ll take stock on Thursday. Louis Ramsay, unfortunately, will be out for a little bit longer than we thought previously. He’ll be about four to six weeks. It’s a calf injury. He’s a super player, great character, he was here today and I’m gutted for him. We’ll stick with him because we’ll need him.”
Image courtesy of Chris Zimmerman