Thursday 14th July 2005	Pre-Season Friendly	Stephen McCartney reports from Park View Road
Welling United	1	Matt  Carruthers 76
Charlton Athletic	1	Luke Young 81

Welling United manager Adrian Pennock announced the signing of Margate striker Che Stadhart following his side's resilient draw against Premiership neighbours Charlton Athletic at a packed Park View Road tonight, writes Stephen McCartney. Stadhart, who joined Margate from Gravesend & Northfleet in June 2003, has tonight agreed terms with Pennock and has signed a one-year deal with the Nationwide Conference South club. "Che has signed tonight, we've agreed everything and I'm very pleased to have him on board," the Wings' boss told www.kentishfootball.co.uk after the game. "I've signed him as he's a natural goalscorer and he's played in this division and higher, and scores goals for fun. "He will give me that extra option as we've got James Pinnock and Danny Kedwell now and with Che there is competition for places." And Pennock was full of praise for his new goalkeeper, Jamie Turner for his heroics. Former Wing, Turner, made an impressive return to the club, keeping Charlton at bay until the 81st minute, when former Tottenham Hotspur star, Luke Young spared their blushes with an equaliser from close range. But earlier Welling had three first half chances with two coming from another signing from Margate, Adrian Clarke and a header from former Gravesend & Northfleet forward, James Pinnock. Charlton, however, showed their class on and off the ball, but were thwarted by the former Gravesend & Northfleet and Tonbridge Angels' goalkeeper on many occasion. It took Charlton only 14 seconds to have their first shot on goal with Darren Ambrose floating a shot over the far post, and he did the same nine minutes later. Then Turner dived low to his right to save Matt Holland's right-footed 25-yard drive and saved a rasping effort from Francis Jeffers above his head. But Jeffers squandered a good opportunity to hand Charlton a deserved lead just before the break when he somehow stroked the ball wide of the left post, when it seemed easier to score. "Obviously they had chances but we had a couple of chances to be fair in the first half," Pennock admitted.  "I wanted us to be organised, we've been working in training on organisation and I thought we coped allright." Long serving Charlton boss, Alan Curbishley spoke to his players before the game out on the pitch under the shadow of the stand, and as promised he changed his line-up for the second half, expecting the floodgates to open. But they found Turner to fine form. And just past the hour mark, former Dover Athletic winger, Matt Carruthers, playing upfront, unleashed a speculative lob from the right, which was plucked out of the air at the near post by Charlton's substitute goalkeeper. Pennock waited until the 75th minute to make changes and brought on six trialists with Danny Lawson, Danny Marsden, Ben White, Lee Hockey, Daniel Moore and Barry Gardner entering the battlefield. And a minute later they took a shock lead when Carruthers fired into the bottom far corner of the Charlton net. But after substitute Jason Euell crashed a fierce shot against the right post, the same player was denied by a brave Turner at his near post, a minute later, but the ball rolled for Young to prod home the equaliser with nine minutes left. Speaking about man-of-the-match Turner, Pennock added: "He did very well.  Jamie is only 24, he's a great prospect. "But I don't want to pick out anyone individually, the team did well, and to be fair Charlton were different class.  I thought their movement in general was brilliant. "We didn't let ourselves down, we kept working hard and the fitness levels this time of year are very important. "We looked organised and overall I was extremely pleased but it's just a pre-season game." With the same squad, including Lew Watts, making the trip to Herne Bay on Saturday, Lee Gledhill, again, showed his leadership qualities on the pitch. "If there was a war I'd take Gled's with me all the time," Pennock said of the former Gravesend & Northfleet defender. "He's a leader and a winner.  I had to ask him before the game to be careful with his tackles because he loves to tackle."

Welling United: Jamie Turner, Lee Gledhill, (Danny Lawson 75), Matt Lee (Danny Marsden 75), Lee Shearer, Jamie Day (Ben White 75), Chris Moore (Lee Hockey 75), Rob Owen, Danny Kedwell (Daniel Moore 75), Matt Carruthers, James Pinnock, Adrian Clarke (Barry Gardener 75) Charlton Athletic (starting line-up only, changed team at half-time) Dean Kiely, Luke Young, Chris Powell, Matt Holland, Jonathan Fortune, Mark Ricketts, Lloyd Sam, Bryan Hughes, Darren Bent, Francis Jeffers, Darren Ambrose Referee:   Steve Bennett (Orpington) Assistants: Ian Crouch & John Rowbury Fourth Official: Greg Smith