A previously unbeaten pre-season for Welling United ended with defeat at Cheshunt on their training ground in very blustery conditions.

Dipo Akinyemi missed a great chance in the first minute when sent clear through but pushing it past the post before the hosts had a massive opportunity. Following hesitancy in the Welling defence, a Cheshunt player was tumbled as he broke into the box.

Surprisingly, the referee awarded a free kick outside the area but the assistant referee indicated that it was inside and a spot kick was awarded. The Cheshunt player took the spot kick himself but Dan Wilks read it well and not only saved, but held on to the attempted conversion.

Cheshunt’s tall centre forward rose well for a cross but headed wide before Wilks did well to turn a long range effort round the post at full stretch. Wilks made another save before the hosts’ centre forward fired over.

Five minutes of the first half remained and it was third time lucky for the striker as he was given time and space in the Welling penalty area and he made no mistake.

Early in the second period, he though that he had scored again but Wilks denied him with a stunning save before Cheshunt did go two up, twelve minutes into the second half when former Wing Zack Newton finished well.

Twenty minutes remained when Welling pulled one back with their wide man coming in to finish well at the end of a good move. After that, Welling played with more urgency but the hosts defended well and kept the Wings to long range efforts which didn’t trouble their keeper.

After the match, Quinton said “Some of them (the players) had an off day today. We’re looking to step up training to three or four sessions a week, including double sessions on Saturdays. The intensity was alright at times. I think we over-played, too much passing sideways, too much passing backwards. We didn’t play through the lines enough which was frustrating for the forwards.

“Then all of a sudden we come alive in the last eight to ten minutes. It wasn’t ideal but if you stop and look at it, it’s a lot of stopping and changing, which is what pre-season’s about. The disappointing side for me was that some of the boys were sulking today with one another, arguing with one another. Yeah, I get it but sometimes they’ve got to worry about their own job.”

The outcome of the game wasn’t vital and Quinton continued “Defeat, win, draw in pre-season, you can call it what you like. I don’t like losing when the league games count or when the cup games count. What I’m looking at here is when the players lose the ball, how you react.

“Mentally, we will start to work really, really hard now because when some players put in performances like that, that’s when I come alive, that’s when I work hard and that’s what I’ve just mentioned to the boys.”

He was particularly disappointed with the second goal conceded. “The balls gone in behind us and we haven’t reacted.” he said. “Whether we can say the wind’s behind us and it held up in the wind and it’s swirling? That’s one of their excuses but that’s not acceptable for me. We need to do better with our runners off the ball.

“I think some of them were carrying a little bit of a knock even though they’re not telling me whether they were or not and it doesn’t bide well for them.”

Welling’s goal was one moment that did please Quinton and he added “It’s a good finish. He’s come off the wing line to get in front of the full back to take a touch and a cracking volley was good but I’m looking at people’s fitness when they have got the ball and when they haven’t got the ball.

“We’ve had a good chat, the coaching staff, on what we need to work on. It’s a good run out for the boys.”

Images courtesy of Dave Budden