If anyone ever wanted an example of a ‘game of two halves’ Welling United’s Vanarama National League South encounter with Tonbridge Angels provided it.
For the first forty-five minutes, the Wings were in total control and were good value for their two goal lead. However, Tonbridge’s manager Jay Saunders made a double change and tweaked his team’s shape at the break.
With the slope now in their favour they were the better side and two goals by Liam Vincent ensured the spoils were shared.
Having missed Saturday’s game at Slough Town, Welling manager Rod Stringer returned from illness and chose to sit in the stand to get a view from an elevated position.
He will have been delighted with the way his team started. After a couple of attacks came to nothing, they went ahead in the eleventh minute. Sam Cornish delivered a corner to the far post and Alex Lankshear rose to head home.
Chiori Johnson had a shot turned round the post by Matthew Rowley and, from another Cornish delivery, Jack Burchell had an effort headed off the line by former Wing Charlie Pegrum.
Sean Shields burst through in a rare break for the visitors and Rhys Lovett, Welling’s goalkeeper, slipped as he came out but recovered to block the shot. It came out to Makise Evans who shot wide.
In the nineteenth minute, Welling went two up. Johnson surged down the right and crossed low for Josh Redfearn to react quickest and turn it home.
Although, Welling continued to enjoy the better of the play, they were unable to create clear cut openings as the Angels defence kept them at bay. The closest that they came was when Maxwell Statham sent a shot just wide.
Two more one time Welling players, Crossley Lema and Taylor Maloney, were introduced by Saunders at the start of the second half. There was almost an immediate reward for the Angels manager when Maloney swung in a dangerous diagonal cross that evaded everyone and came back out off the far post.
Evans shot over from a cross by Mo Dabre before Welling missed a great chance to score the crucial third goal. Cornish’s free kick was flicked on and fell to Burchell whose first time low shot went inches past the far post.
On the hour mark, Tonbridge pulled one back from a free kick. Vincent checked his angles before firing into the bottom corner.
Maloney then delivered a free kick that Ronny Nelson met but glanced his header beyond the far post. Although, they enjoyed plenty of pressure, the Angels struggled to break down Welling’s defence until they were presented with an opportunity with ten minutes remaining.
Once again Maloney was involved as he sent over a corner and Garrett Kelly hauled Pegrum down as he strained to get on the end of it. Referee Daniel Baines was well placed to see it and awarded a penalty before calling Kelly over and showing him a red card. Once the midfielder had departed, Vincent stepped up and fired home from the spot.
Lovett made a good save from Evans and it came out to Pegrum who fired over, but that was the only time that Tonbridge threatened to make their numerical advantage count and the two teams settled for a point apiece.
Welling United: Lovett, Statham, Lankshear, Cornish (Grant 86), Winfield, Burchell, Johnson, Kelly, Redfearn (Chukwu 77), Kennedy, Osew.
Subs not used: Long, Perkins, Wells.
Goalscorers: Lankshear (11), Redfearn (19)
Yellow cards: Lankshear, Welling coach, Grant, Statham
Red card: Kelly (80)
Tonbridge Angels: Rowley, Pegrum, Vincent, Sutcliffe (Lema 46), Fielding, Nelson, Hanson (Maloney 46), Dabre (Santos 62), Evans, Shields, Wagstaff (Date 79).
Sub not used: Bakrin.
Goalscorers: Vincent (60), pen (81)
Yellow cards: None
Referee: Daniel Baines
Assistants: Nick Blogg and Peter Wilson
Fourth Official: Will Briers
Attendance: 503
Pictures supplied by Dave Budden.