Welling Town manager Louis Dean watched his side come away with a narrow 1-0 victory at home to Rochester United on Saturday afternoon.
Although Rochester United are bottom of the Southern Counties East Football League First Division and Welling Town top, Dean wasn’t taking the opposition lightly, and was pleased to see his side win and maintain their lead over Kennington at the top of the league.
Speaking after the final whistle, Dean said: “I’m happy about the result it is just the performance wasn’t great and the boys know that. Obviously Rochester are at the bottom of the league and they thought they were going to turn up and think here we go.
“I said to them at the beginning they are fighting for their lives as well you know, it’s not like it is a dead rubber they have got something to play for. It’s going to be tough and they can count themselves quite unlucky today.
“We have got the goal, we have got the win, which is the most important thing. I would have liked the performance but the result is the most important thing at the end of the day. We have got three points and that is it really.”
Jack Brown made an important save in the first half keeping out a Rochester United which ultimately set-up the platform for Dean’s side to go on and seal the three points.
He added: “Jack has done everyone a massive favour by saving that pen, its two in two. Apart from the shot they had in the second half that hit the bar they didn’t really break us down as such. I thought we were quite solid at the back.
“In possession though we were slow the whole game and they were resilient, they were tough and disciplined, and thankfully in the end we managed to find a way.”
It really took the home side until after the hour mark to get going in the game and Dean thinks that was down to a number of reasons.
He said: “They did tire, they tired around the 65th to 70th minute mark and we did have a bit more of a foothold but the final ball just wasn’t what we expected or what we want.
“There were a couple of offsides that we shouldn’t have been offside from, we were a bit too naïve, a bit eager with our runs. Sam and Jordan have got into a couple of good positions and just scuffed their shots.
“I can’t be too negative about them, they know the performance wasn’t good. It is about results and the three points is there. We have found a way in the end, we know we have to up our game against the bigger sides otherwise we will get found out.”
Images courtesy of Dave Cumberbatch