Vanarama National League South
Welling United 2 v 0 East Thurrock United
Welling United 2 East Thurrock United 0
Vanarama League South
Welling returned to winning ways with a determined display to see off East Thurrock on Saturday. After having much the better of the first half chances, Welling stayed patient and were rewarded with second half goals from Adam Coombes and Dan Walker sealing the win.
Played in bitterly cold conditions throughout, Chris Lewington had to be out smartly early on diving at the feet of Tom Wraight who had wriggled free of the defence.
Adam Coombes had an early sight of goal, placing a glancing header just went wide, after an in-swinging corner had been delivered at the near post by Sam Hatton. Sam Higgins then forced a smart save out of Lewington after he made room for the shot; his effort bobbled off the turf and Lewington parried the ball away. However after this scare, Welling took control of the game.
Adam Coombes hit a free kick just wide, which had left keeper Lucas Lidakevicius rooted to the spot. Lidakevicius did then make a fine save from a rasping Dan Walker shot, tipping his effort over the bar. Midway through the half Welling really should have scored in two separate passages of play. First a loose ball from a Hatton corner fell kindly to Adam Coombes who volleyed his effort against the underside of the crossbar. The ball was then only half cleared to Harry Crawford who made some space and hit a low effort agonisingly wide. Welling were in control but just could not find the break through. They went even closer towards the end of the first half. Crawford played in Coombes and the Wings main man skipped around the advancing keeper but Lee Burns just managed to hack his effort of off the line.
Having been fortunate to not be behind the Rocks come out quite lively in the opening exchanges of the second half, no doubt buoyed by the fact they were still in the game at this stage. Marvin Ekpiteta came close when his header from a George Craddock free kick narrowly missed the target.
But it wasn’t long before Welling regained control. Adam Coombes doing well to get a header away from a Sean Francis cross but that too went wide.
There was a let off for Welling when Sam Higgins scuffed an effort wide when he was well placed to have caused Welling problems. Welling eventually went ahead in the 66th minute. For all the wonderful goals Adam Coombes has scored this season, this will go down as his scrappiest. Coombes met a Walker cross with his knee at the near post that Lidakevicius could only push back into his path; the Wings forward made no mistake from two yards out and slotted home the rebound.
Welling immediately looked for a second goal and the energetic Harry Crawford forced a good save from Lidakevicius with his legs. The game was becoming stretched as East Thurrock went in search of an equaliser but Matt Fish bravely blocked Kye Ruel’s shot.
As it turned out The Wings wrapped the game up in the 87th minute. Coombes was played in again and having rounded Ludakevicius, he took his touch too wide, so laid the ball off to Dan Walker. Walker then rounded Ludakevicius and smashed the ball home despite the best efforts of two Rocks defenders who were on the goal line.
Welling United: Chris Lewington, Matt Fish, Jordan Brown, Sam Hatton, Rickie Hayles, Sean Francis, Dan Walker, Danny Waldren, Harry Crawford, Adam Coombes (Treu Williams 90), Christian Nanetti (Jamie Slabber 90).
Scorers – Adam Coombes (66′), Dan Walker (87′)
East Thurrock United: Lucas Lidakevicius, Michael Freiter, Ade Osifuwa, Lee Burns, Marvin Ekpiteta, Ben Wood, Joe Gardner (Harry Honesty 74), George Craddock (Kye Ruel 80), Sam Higgins, Scott Heard, Tom Wraight.
