Although a draw allowed Welling United to move into the top half of the Skrill Premier table, there will be disappointment amongst the ranks following their failure to beat Barnet who were reduced to ten men in the 26^th minute.

Baily Cargill was drafted in on a one month loan for Welling to cover for injured centre halves Doug Bergqvist and Blaine Hudson, and he looked comfortable immediately.

Head Coach Edgar Davids captained the Barnet team from a position in central defence.

Disaster struck Welling in just the fourth minute when Ross Lafayette went down injured to be replaced by Loick Pires.

Barnet enjoyed the better of the early exchanges. Kieron Cadogan, Mauro Vilhete and Andy Yiadom all caused problems before Jack Saville’s header from Cadogan’s corner clipped the top of the bar.

Cargill’s chasing back enabled him to clear off the line and Cadogan’s corner created a further scare when landing on the top of the bar on the way out.

The shape of the game changed when Pires broke down the left hand side and Yiadom flew in recklessly from behind resulting in his dismissal.

Within three minutes, Welling opened the scoring when Graham Stack was caught off his line by Joe Healy whose chip into the middle floated into the net.

Stark made amends two minutes later with a brilliant save from Alex Dyer’s low shot.

Keanu Marsh-Brown had a shot tipped over by Lee Butcher before Loui Fazakerley went close at the other end with a shot that flew just beyond the far post.

Once again, Marsh-Brown tested Butcher before Curtis Weston headed wide from the resultant corner.

Kurtis Guthrie came close from a Fazakerley cross on the stroke of half time.

Lee Clarke sent Dyer away but the Welling midfielder shot fiercely over the angle of the near post.

Davids’ persistent back chat earned him a caution then both Healy and Dyer had shots blocked.

Butcher saved from Marciano Mengerink before the Bees levelled.

Fazakerley’s foul on Marsh-Brown gave referee Amy Fearn no option but to point to the spot and the power and placement of Marsh-Brown’s spot kick beat Butcher.

Weston shot wide before Kiernan Hughes-Mason replaced Jake Gallagher and the speedy wide man came closest to breaking the deadlock, late on, with a skimming shot that went just the wrong side of the post.

 

Welling United: Butcher, Fazakerley, Jack Obersteller, Gallagher (Hughes-Mason 76), Franks, Cargill, Dyer, Clarke, Guthrie, Lafayette (Pires 5), Healy.

Unused substitutes: Corne, Day.

Barnet: Stack, Davids, Yiadom, Weston, Saville, Marsh-Brown, Cadogan, Mengerink (Hyde 73), Casabella (Crawford 68), Vilhete (Acheampong 77), Stephens.

Unused substitutes: Jupp, Abdulla.

Referee: Amy Fearn

Attendance: 1,017

Welling star man: Fraser Franks

Pictures supplied by Dave Budden