Welling United 4 Truro City 3
By Matthew Panting
Welling staged a dramatic comeback to keep the heat on Blue
Square Bet South leaders Salisbury on Saturday.
The Wings trailed Truro 3-1 at half-time after shipping three
goals in six crazy minutes of defending but hit back to make it 10
wins in a row thanks to Anthony Acheampong's (pictured) 94th-minute
winner.
There was little sign of what was to happen inside the
opening 20 minutes. Welling, unbeaten at home this season, were in
complete control and led through Loui Fazakerley's eighth-minute
strike.
It should have been more as Ross Lafayette went close, Fraser
Franks' near-post shot was saved, Lafayette volleyed across the
face of goal and then headed wide from a corner.
Truro scored with virtually their first attack on 26 minutes
when Kieffer Moore's left-foot 20-yard shot went in via the inside
of the near post.
Within a minute the lead was doubled when Moore raced clear and
strike partner Andy Watkins scored after keeper Sam Mott could only
parry his shot.
Welling nearly levelled but were caught out for a third time on
32 minutes when poor defending from Franks and Acheampong saw
Watkins set up Moore and he rounded Mott before slotting home.
The Wings were nearly back in the game just before half-time but
Truro keeper Luke McCormick, who was in no rush to get on with the
game at any stage, produced a stunning close-range save to keep out
Fazakerley.
The home side needed Mott to be at his best early in the second
half to keep out Les Afful before Welling got going just after the
hour mark. Franks' long ball was chested back towards his keeper by
Calron Hall but Kiernan Hughes-Mason nipped in. Both the Wings
forward and McCormick missed the ball but the keeper clatted into
the striker only for referee David Rock to play on. The loose ball
fell to Lafayette but as he was about to fire home, Lee Hodges
brought him down from behind and this time the official did point
to the spot.
Hodges, Truro's player/manager, was shown a red card and after a
lengthy and needless two-minute delay as he walked off, Healy
tucked away the spot-kick for his 12th goal of the campaign in the
63rd minute.
Welling boss Jamie Day immediately made a triple substitution
and it nearly had a quick impact but Kurtis Guthrie had a goal
ruled out for offside.
The ever-willing Lafayette was rewarded seven minutes from time
when he made space in the box to smash home the equaliser.
Truro could have easily been down to nine men but referee Rock
opted not to give Jake Ash a second caution for clattering into
Jack Obersteller.
It needed a brilliant one-handed save from Mott to deny the
impressive Watkins a goal two minutes later for 10-man Truro before
Acheampong had a goal disallowed in stoppage time for offside
against Guthrie.
All that was forgotten, however, as Acheampong headed in a deep
corner four minutes into stoppage time to spark wild celebrations.
There was another two-minutes delay as Barry Hayles - who had ran
50 yards to protest to the referee - Joe Board and Marcus Martin,
who picked the ball up from the centre spot and smashed it high in
the air, all picked up yellow cards to earn their club a fine for
multiple cautions in the game.
Once the ball was finally back in play, the referee quickly blew
up for full-time, although it still took him some time to leave the
field as the visitors continued their protests well after the final
whistle.
05/01/13
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