Despite keeping league leaders Havant and Waterlooville down to just one clear cut chance Welling United crashed to another home defeat.
This followed conceding a 95th minute Easter Monday equaliser and Hampton and Richmond Borough so Welling United manager Jamie Coyle was as frustrated as much as he was disappointed. He said “In the last two games we haven’t got what we deserved as such but we have to move on.
“We knocked on the door today but we lacked that end product and the final ball. We’re just trying to build a bit of momentum between now and the end of the season.
Although Welling hit the woodwork twice in the last minute of the first half, Coyle was happy going into the break. “I was really pleased.” he said. “I think they had a shot from thirty-five yards that Bailey (Vose) saved but outside that, they haven’t had a single shot on target. It didn’t like they were ever going to score.
“It’s just the way things are going at the last couple of games. We haven’t really got the rub of the green.”
One defensive lapse proved costly. Coyle said “I said to the boys at the end of the game that if we’re going to move to the next level and progress we can’t afford to switch off like that. Olu (Durojaiye)’s been tremendous for us recently but he’s just been on his heels for the moment and his man has scored. That’s all it takes.
“A team like that, that have got the momentum at the moment and that have got the potential to win the league, if you do that, you’re going to get punished.”
Having said that Havant didn’t create many chances, Coyle did concede that his team also struggled in that respect. “The only thing that I would say is that today, for a long time, we lacked a bit of creativity and a little bit of quality in the final third.
“I said that they didn’t look like scoring but apart from Jebbie (Jack Jebb)’s free kick (that was tipped on to the bar) and Jack (Parkinson)’s header against the post, we didn’t create much.”
Coyle expanded when saying “At this stage of the season and where we are with the teams that are playing each other, we needed to try and get a win and I was confident even at half time, that we could step it up a little bit and take the game to them but it wasn’t quite there today in terms of the final ball but I can’t fault the desire and the work-rate. It was there. We got in some great positions but it was just that final end product.”
After the half time break, Welling striker Adam Coombes looked the most likely player to break the dead-lock and tested Havant goalkeeper Ryan Young with one stinging drive. However on his next surging run he pulled up holding his leg and had to be substituted. Although it was too soon to know for certain, Coyle stated “I don’t think it’s his hamstring which is a good sign.
“Apparently it’s nerves that he’s just triggered. We’ll have to assess it. We won’t know for the next couple of days. Obviously it would be a huge loss to us with the injuries and suspensions we’ve got at the moment.”
This had a partial affect on the team he selected for the Havant game. Parkinson came in for Magnus Okuonghae and Coyle explained “He’s got a tight quad. We’ve rested him today knowing that Jack’s suspended on Tuesday (when Welling host Hemel Hempstead Town). It gives him a few more days to recover.”
Archie Johnson went off injured on Easter Monday but he was on the bench and Coyle confirmed ‘He is fine. It was just a tactical change today with Ben (Jefford) coming in. We know that they (Havant) play quite direct and Ben’s slightly stronger in the air.”
Joe Healy also limped off injured at Hampton and Richmond Borough and had not finished either of the previous two games and Coyle said “He had a fitness test today so he was a doubt but he’s got through it and says he feels fine.”
Welling are back at Park View Road on Tuesday evening kicking off at 19:45 against fellow play-off hopefuls Hemel Hempstead Town.
Picture supplied by Dave Budden.