Zak Ansah’s brace helped Forest Hill Park beat Welling Town at the Alex Yee Ladywell Arena to take them to the summit of the Presence & Co. Southern Counties East Football League First Division.

Up until Ansah scored his second, there were times that a neutral might have struggled to tell which team was challenging for the title, and which one was struggling to stay in the league. However, once the hosts were two ahead, Welling were indebted to goalkeeper Cameron Sanghera for keeping the score down.

Georgi Steeds headed wide of the near post for Forest Hill from a Ryan Palmer free kick in the opening minutes before a clearance by Boots’ centre back Sam Huckle hit the hosts Temi Alaka in the face and flew past the post. Alaka then cut in from the left and skewed his shot well off target.

Michael Paton had Welling’s first shot with a long range effort that fizzed just past the post with George Kamurasi struggling to reach it in the Forest Hill goal.

In the seventeenth minute, Ansah opened the scoring from close range from Brandon Barrance’s low cross.

Palmer hit a free kick over before the Boots had a good shout for a penalty when Huckle appeared to have been shoved over in the area. Alaka again cut in from the wing and hit a sweet shot towards the near post but Sanghera was equal to it and made a good save.

Paton again went close for Welling when he attempted to lob Kamurasi with an effort that dipped just after going over the bar before the referee brought the first half to a close.

Early in the second period, Ansah broke through and Sanghera had to stand strong before going to ground to make a good low save and the Boots keeper made another block to keep out Alaka. However, he had no chance when Ansah got on the end of a low Steeds cross and side-foot volleyed home from inside the six yard box to make it two-nil.

After that, it was almost one way traffic and a shot by the Dons Ed Mbango drew an easy save from Sanghera. Alfie Saunders then sent Ansah through to try and complete his hat-trick but the Welling custodian read it well and made the stop.

Kamurasi then had a save made easier when Paton’s shot took a deflection to take the sting out of it before Sanghera was again off his line quickly to smother as substitute Tobi Coker broke through. The goalkeeper then made a stunning save from Coker amid a goalmouth scramble. Coker was not to be denied though, and when a cross by Saunders was knocked into his path, he made no mistake from ten yards out.

Coker fired a free kick over before the six minutes of additional time expired and the hosts were able to celebrate with their noisy supporters.

Forest Hill Park: Kamurasi, Saunders, Teadorescu, Palmer (Everett 68), Barrett, Johnson, Mbango, Alaka (Bell 87), Ansah (Fischer 76), Steeds (Coker 66), Barrance.

Sub not used: Anderson.

Goalscorers: Ansah (17) (53), Coker (86)

Yellow card: Palmer (44 foul)

Welling Town: Sanghera, Green, Hearn, Curnow (Belsham 66), Rogers, Huckle, Owoeye (Campbell 79), Paton (Koloko 82), Ahmed (Lawson 62), Dada, Tilley.

Subs not used: None.

Goalscorers: None

Yellow card: Curnow (32 foul), Tilley (55 foul)

Referee: Michael Hill

Assistants: Ricky Heinson and Andy Stamford

Attendance: TBC