Football fixtures throughout Kent were decimated by the heavy rain that had fallen leading into the weekend.

However, the 4G pitch at Crown Woods School was unaffected leaving Welling United and Corinthian able to contest their Suburban League Challenge Shield tie.

Charlie Plummer came close in the early stages as Welling threatened from set plays but the more experienced Corinthian team created chances of their own and Jack Highwood was thwarted by a brilliant save by Charlie Cotterell.

An exciting move by the Wings, the majority of whom were aged 16, saw Jake Try advance down the wing and cross deep for Archie Johnson to nod back but Jefferson Ocran’s flying header went over the crossbar.

Oscar Saxton shot wide for the visitors in injury time at the end of an absorbing but cagey first period.

Cotterell made another full length diving save early in the second half to thwart Sam Hayes.

After a series of breaks for substitutions, Welling went ahead when Stevie Gunner’s corner was headed into his own net by Highwood.

As the game became more stretched Try made a crucial tackle in the Welling penalty area to stop  Louis Payne converting from a break away.

Two Welling substitutes then looked to combine from Joey Taylor’s perfectly weighted through ball.

Tommy Heath squared but Joseph Woollard did well to stop Bafor Aganbi from getting a shot in.

Corinthian stepped up the pressure as they looked for an equaliser in the Group D tie and Cotterell made another fine save from Ryan Croucher’s free kick.

Highwood headed over at the far post before he atoned for his own goal by finishing strongly with seven minutes remaining.

The visitors might have won the tie in the closing minutes but Cotterell made another fine save from Michael Hagan’s free kick.

 

Welling United: Cotterell, Try, Taylor (Armstrong 75), Birch, Plummer, Okoye, Ocran (Aganbi 63), Kempton (Heath 58), Bin-Luboya, Gunner, Johnson.

 

Corinthian: Gable, Gamble, Gagan, Croucher, Woollard, Hayes, Goodwin (Kempton 63), Highwood, Saxton (Payne 58), Rutnam (Cantwell 67), M. Hagan

Pictures supplied by Dave Budden.