Home form again deserted Welling United as they were well beaten by a well organised East Thurrock United team.
They have not won on home soil since 7th October and apart from a twenty minute spell in the second half, they were second best. To make matters worse, Connor Dymond was sent off for their fifth dismissal of the season.
When a goalkeeper is beaten three times, yet is still the team’s star player, it shows just how tough the afternoon has been.
Ryan Sandford made his first outstanding save for Welling in just the fourth minute. Tom Richardson thought that he had put the visitors ahead from Sam Higgins’ pass but Sandford made a fantastic save.
He followed that up with a good save from Reece Harris who was able to cut in and shoot far too easily.
It wasn’t all one way traffic, though, and Bradley Goldberg shot wide after good work by Tom Phipps, starting his second loan spell from Maidstone United. Then Goldberg pulled back for Joe Healy whose shot was deflected wide.
Sandford was at it again when making a tremendous save from Max Cornhill before turning over Montell Agyemang’s header in acrobatic style.
Harry Wright then made his first save, and it was a good one too, from Goldberg after good work by Christian Nanetti.
Higgins drew a comfortable save from Sandford but the Welling goalkeeper was powerless to do anything about the opening goal. Higgins pulled it back and former Wing Harris fired home.
Goldberg had another shot beaten out by Wright before the Rocks’ custodian made a comfortable save from Phipps’ free kick just before the break.
Substitute Tom Bradbrook almost made an immediate impact but Marvin Ekpiteta got back to make a perfectly timed tackle.
Healy headed wide from Goldberg’s corner then he was also thwarted by a brave block by Ekpiteta when he looked like he was going to level.
Welling thought that they should have had a penalty when Bradbrook was flattened in the area. Dymond went too far with his appeal and was cautioned for dissent.
Then Welling missed their best chance when Healy found Goldberg. Although Wright saved well it came out to Archie Johnson at an awkward height and Wings’ longest serving player was unable to get a shot on target.
Bradbrook headed wide from Nanetti’s cross before both had half chances saved by Wright.
Dymond then received a second yellow card for a needless lunge and Higgins’ free kick came back out off the woodwork.
That proved to be a short lived let off for Welling as the veteran hitman rolled Jack Parkinson and finished in style.
He completed the scoring with just under ten minutes remaining. Although some may question the time and space that he had on the edge of the area there can be no doubting the quality of his finish, curling in from twenty yards.
Manager Jamie Coyle will have much pondering to do as Welling are again at home next Saturday.
Welling United: Sandford, Dymond, Jefford (E Phipps 75), Durojaiye, Coyle, Parkinson, Nanetti (Jebb 79), Healy, H Phipps (Bradbrook 46), Goldberg, Johnson.
Subs not used: Gayle, Francis.
East Thurrock United: Wright, Sammons, Sampayo, White, M Ekpiteta, Agyemang, C Ekpiteta (Honesty 67), Cornhill, Higgins, Harris, Richardson.
Subs not used: Smith, Allen, Belho, Lidakevicius.
Welling United:
Goalscorers: None
Yellow cards: Dymond
Red cards: Dymond
East Thurrock United:
Goalscorers: Harris (32), Higgins (71) and (81)
Yellow cards: None
Red cards: None
Referee: Alex Blake
Assistants: Jamie Wells and Dele Sotimirin
Attendance: 432
Welling star player: Ryan Sandford
Pictures supplied by Dave Budden.