Welling United eased their way through
to the second round of the FA Trophy with a convincing win over bottom of
the table Ryman Premier League side Redbridge at a frosty Park View Road
today, writes Stephen McCartney.
Adrian Clarke, selected at number nine, was forced to withdrawal from the
squad after hurting his groin in the warm up. But Matt Bodkin was
drafted in from the substitutes bench, impressing throughout with his
bursts down the right.
The Wings, however, dominated proceedings during the first half and
deservedly went in at the break with a 3-0 lead.
Two goals from Che Stadhart, taking his tally to
seven for the season, and Danny Kedwell's 13th put the Kent side in pole
position.
They created numerous chances early on with Bodkin latching onto
Stadhart's through ball but Redbridge goalkeeper Michael Wakefield did
well to smother the 15-yard shot.
Kedwell was the next recipient of a Stadhart through ball, but Wakefield
tipped the 25-yard shot around the post.
And following two corners from Matt Carruthers', Stadhart's header was
cleared off the line and Welling defender Steve Perkins headed wide.
So it was no surprise when Welling took the lead after 13 minutes.
Bodkin intelligently lifted the ball over the visitors defence for
Stadhart, and as the goalkeeper came rushing towards him, his lob bounced
once and agonisingly clipped off the crossbar.
But the former Margate striker reacted well and from close range headed
past the bemused goalkeeper and the ball crossed the line although it did
so in slow motion.
Kedwell set up a chance for Jamie Day but the blonde-haired midfielder
drove his shot wide before Stadhart scored again after 26 minutes.
Stadhart captalised on poor defending by Dave Wattley, raced into the
penalty area and clinically slotted home from 15-yards.
Welling goalkeeper Jamie Turner was finally called into action five
minutes when he got down low to his left to save Petrit Elbi's low drive.
But Welling deservedly went three-nil up after 36 minutes. The
impressive Redbridge skipper Keith Rowland slipped on the ice in midfield
and that allowed the Kent side to break. Carruthers slipped the ball
for Kedwell and he drilled a shot from 15-yards into the bottom far
corner.
Former Dover Athletic midfielder Carruthers went close when his shot
sailed just wide but the Essex side almost grabbed a goal back on the
stroke of half time.
Kedwell played a poor pass towards his defence that was intercepted by
Elbi who played the ball inside to Rowland and his shot rolled past Turner
towards the goal but Leon Solomon calmly cleared the ball off the line.
Former Margate left-sided midfielder Mark Green - who replaced Carruthers
at the break - almost added to the scoreline early in the second half,
when his fierce drive clipped the left upright and flew across the
goal-mouth but Redbridge survived.
Bodkin used his pace to great affect again, ghosting past Mitch Hahn and
Ben Patten. Although slipping over, his cross from the by-line was
met by Kedwell but Wakefield saved comfortably at his near post.
But Turner gave Hahn an early Christmas present with 18 minutes left,
making an uncharacteristic mistake. His poor clearance fell straight to
Hahn who fired the ball into an empty net from 30-yards to score his third
goal of the season.
Playing three men up front, Redbridge made a game of it, with substitute
David Apata latching onto a pass from Garry Skerritt but Turner made
up for his howler saving comfortably.
Day wrapped up the victory in the 90th minute, scoring his second goal of
the season, when his right-footed free kick from 20-yards left the
goalkeeper rooted to the spot as the ball flew into the top right corner.
"I think going in 3-0 at half-time maybe the boys took their foot of
the pedal a little bit, but I can't complain," delighted Wings
manager Adrian Pennock admitted to www.kentishfootball.co.uk
after the game.
"I can't complain, we're in the next round of the cup. The
conditions were terrible, very slippery under foot.
"I thought we were decent (in the) first half. We did pass the
ball really well and we opened them up a few times and could have gone in
with more goals but you have to give Redbridge credit, they didn't stop.
"I'm disappointed with the goal we conceded but you look at the
bigger picture. We've gone through, it was a tricky Trophy tie and
we're in the hat on Monday so I'm very pleased."
When asked if he's like Gravesend & Northfleet in the next round, the
former Fleet assistant replied: "That would be nice wouldn't
it? Gravesend down here.
"A big Conference club here would be nice to get some supporters here
and it will be a decent cup tie.
"We've got to make money for the club, that's half the battle really
as it keeps the club going for a while, even though it's four grand.
That's money we wouldn't have had if we lost."
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