Although already safe from relegation, Welling United entertained play-off bound Billericay Town in an entertaining Isthmian League Premier Division match.
Both teams were missing key players but it was Welling who started the fastest. Sam Smith broke down the right before feeding John Ufuah and he fired just over. Dean Gunner was then unable to hit the target with a half volley when he met a deep Smith half volley.
Midway through the first half, Jay Porter was fortunate to escape with a yellow card when pulling Ade Azeez back by the hair, then the visitors had their first opportunity when Alfie Cerulli’s low cross was turned wide of the near post by Teddy Collis
Mixing up their methods of attack troubled Billericay and a long pass forward by Gunner had to be headed away by goalkeeper Stefan Lamacq when had to come out of his area as Azeez harried him. Smith then passed to Azeez whose attempted flick was saved easily.
Against the run of play, Billericay went ahead six minutes before half time. A free kick by Jon Benton caused Welling problems, and although they twice hacked it off the line, it fell kindly for Charlie Ruff to force home from close range.
Looking for a quick response, Chris Arthur took his time before crossing and finding Azeez who headed over then Smith struck a free kick just past the post.
Almost immediately after the half time break, Welling equalised. Smith poked it forward and Ufuah nicked it away before slotting it into the net.
Jamie Reynolds had a shot deflected narrowly wide then Ayman El-Mogharbel headed over after Lamacq had punched out a Smith corner.
There was then a break when the referee pulled up injured and was unable to continue. Once a qualified official was found in the crowd, an assistant referee took the whistle and made an undisputable decision almost immediately. Zak O’Keefe was tumbled by Porter in the penalty area and a spot kick was awarded with the Billericay captain again fortunate to remain on the pitch. Following two recent saved Welling penalties, it was Smith’s turn to take the responsibility and he made no mistake when sending Lamacq the wrong way.
Substitute Charlie Panton’s shot from the angle of the penalty area went so wide that it went out for a throw before Frankie Merrifield fired across the face of goal. Two further Billericay substitutes combined when Jack Evans found MacAuley Bonne whose effort was tipped over by Mackenzie Foley. Evans took the corner and Bonne headed home with just three minutes remaining.
As the match moved into stoppage time, Billericay were again fortunate to keep eleven men on the pitch. Ufuah burst down the right and Lamacq charged out and flattened Welling’s leading scorer, denying him a further goalscoring opportunity. Surprisingly, only a yellow card was brandished. Nothing came of the free kick and the game ended a few minutes later.
Having looked dead and buried a few months ago, the Wings end the season in fifteenth place, six points clear of the bottom four, and manager Ryan Maxwell has much to build on when the team reconvenes in June.
Welling United: Foley; O’Keefe (Paternoster 86) , Majoyegbe, Gunner, Arthur; Thomas (Oluwatimilehin 79); El-Mogharbel; Ufuah (Stewart 90+3), Smith, Reynolds (Reeve 79); Azeez (Akanbi 90+3). Subs not used: None.
Goalscorers: Ufuah (47), Smith pen (70)
Yellow cards: Arthur (90+8 delay of restart), Majoyegbe (90+9 foul)
Billericay Town: Lamacq; Barnum-Bobb, Steward, Parsons, Porter (Lewis-Burgess 86); Miller-Rodney, Owen (Evans 73); Collis, Ruff (Panton 46), Benton (Bonne 61); Cerulli (Merrifield 79). Subs not used: None.
Goalscorers: Ruff (69), Bonne (87)
Yellow cards: Porter (24 foul. Lamacq (90+1 foul)
Referee: Callum Peter
Assistants: Matthew Funnell and Samuel Gregory
Attendance: 1,214
Images courtesy of Chris Zimmerman