Welling United 2 Newport County 0
Welling deservedly saw off higher-league opposition in the FA
Trophy after beating Newport at a rain-soaked Park View Road on
Saturday.
Goals either side of half-time by Joe Healy and substitute Ben
Martin, pictured, ensured the Wings were in Monday’s draw.
Chances were at a premium in the first half, although Welling
were indebted to a stunning save from keeper Sam Mott to keep out
Michael Smith’s third-minute header.
Welling were quickly on top against a side who started the day
joint-top of the Blue Square Bet Premier. Jamie Day and Jake
Gallagher won the midfield battle and Ross Lafayette and Kurtis
Guthrie again showed signs of forming an excellent partnership.
It was a Guthrie run forward, that was stopped by centre-back
Ismail Yakubu, that led to the opening goal after 36 minutes. Day
delivered an excellent ball into the box and Joe Healy was left
unmarked to power his header beyond former Gills keeper Alan
Julian.
The home side were dealt a blow just before half-time when
centre-back Fraser Franks was stretchered off after being clattered
by his own keeper, Mott.
Keirnan Hughes-Mason then replaced the injured Theo
Fairweather-Johnson at the start of the second half and had an
immediate impact, feeding Healy whose left-foot shot was turned
behind by Julian at full stretch.
Day’s resulting corner was only half-cleared and the Wings
player-boss curled a second ball into the area for Martin to meet
and head into the bottom corner.
Substitute Jake Harris missed a good opportunity to pull one
back but a goal looked more likely at the other end as Hughes-Mason
was twice denied by Julian when left with just the keeper to beat.
Lafayette forced a double save from the keeper and also saw his
header from Healy’s cross come back off the bar.
It could have been a much more convincing scoreline had some of
those chances gone in but it would have been the manner in which
Welling dominated the game that pleased Day most.
26/11/12
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