Ten man Welling United were again beaten as Truro City claimed a Vanarama National League South double over them.
Not for the first time this season, Welling got off to a bad start. Truro moved it around down the right to make space for Dominic Johnson-Fisher and his clipped cross was headed home by Connor Riley-Lowe.
Luke Jephcott then delivered to the far post just out off the reach of Johnson-Fisher before the latter again delivered looking for Riley Lowe but Welling goalkeeper, Rhys Lovett, tipped it just too high for the Tinners’ wing back to control it.
Lovett was again in action when he got down to make a comfortable save from Tyler Harvey before Welling started to find some self belief, and to look for opportunities of their own.
Just after the half hour mark, they stunned the promotion hopefuls by drawing level. Dan Quick played an excellent pass forward that put Deon Moore in behind, and he forged forward before hitting a shot to which Truro goalkeeper Dan Lavercombe got a hand but could not keep out.
Scott Kashket and Gene Kennedy then had a two-on-one break but their inter-passing wasn’t crisp enough and Lavercombe was able to save Kashket’s initial effort and Kennedy’s follow up.
Johnson-Fisher then burst through and Jack Burchell and Lovett had to combine to keep him out before the lively Tinners’ striker went past Lovett and Burchell again came to the rescue by getting back and clearing.
Eight minutes after the break, Welling’s hopes took another blow. Dave Winfield, who had already been cautioned, was flattened by Harvey and the Truro striker kept him pinned to the ground. A skirmish broke out and when the dust had settled, the referee showed each of them a yellow card, thus terminating Winfield’s participation. Garrett Kelly was also cautioned for his part in the shenanigans.
Rod Stringer, Welling’s manager, had been preparing a substitution but had to re-think his plans and brought on Maxwell Statham and TJ Bramble for Harvey Walker and Kashket as he was forced into changing his team’s shape.
Zac Bell shot over from twenty yards before the Tinners went ahead with twenty minutes remaining. Bell found space out wide and crossed to Harvey and he met it with a header that gave Lovett no chance.
Forced into attacking more, the Wings came close to levelling again when Statham’s cross bounced awkwardly for Kelly and he couldn’t force it home. Sahid Kamara then came on and caused the hosts’ defence problems. One of his crosses was flicked on and hit Riccardo Di Trolio forcing Lavercombe into a save on the line.
However, with Welling pressing, there were opportunities for Truro on the counter attack and they scored a third when a clearance fell kindly to Harvey and he fired an unstoppable shot beyond Lovett.
To their credit, Welling didn’t give up and pulled one back when Kamara’s fierce drive was pushed out by Lavercombe to Di Trolio who made no mistake from close range. It was too little too late, though, and with results elsewhere not going their way, the Wings dropped into the bottom three.
Truro City: Lavercombe, Bell, Riley-Lowe, Law, Dean, Oxlade-Chamberlain, Jephcott, Rooney (Bates 90), Johnson-Fisher (Neal 73), Harvey (Sanders 87), En-Neyah (Palfrey 73). Sub not used: Kabia.
Goalscorers: Riley-Lowe (2), Harvey (70), (85)
Yellow card: Harvey (53 ungentlemanly conduct)
Welling United: Lovett, Quick, Di Trolio, Grant (Kamara 73), Burchell, Winfield, Kennedy, Kelly (Taylor-Crossdale 83), Moore (Redfearn 65), Kashket (Bramble 55), H. Walker (Statham 55). Subs not used: None.
Goalscorer: Moore (33), Di Trolio (90+2)
Yellow cards: Winfield (15 foul), (53 ungentlemanly conduct), Kelly (54 ungentlemanly conduct), Kamara (dissent 90+4)
Red card: Winfield (53 second yellow)
Referee: Said Ouchene
Assistants: Billy Wootton and Luke McFarlane
Fourth Official: Callum Waller
Attendance: 1,611
Images courtesy of Dave Budden