Another game for two teams needing points for very different reasons completed the Easter programme as relegation threatened Welling United entertained play-off hopefuls Eastleigh.
Two days earlier, Welling boosted their teams hopes by drawing at Woking but a tough and physical Eastleigh team claimed all three points with an uncompromising display. Welling will claim. With some justification, that they got no help from a weak referee.
Manager Loui Fazakerley said “We knew they were going to be big and physical. We’ve been to watch them and that’s why we decided to go with the line up we went with.”
Difficulties started for the Wings when they went behind in less than ten minutes. Jack Midson had plenty of time to cross and Jai Reason was given the freedom of Park View Road to head home.
Reason then turned provider when his deep cross found Jamie Turley unmarked in a similar position, but he was unable to finish, clipping the bar with his header.
Captain Paul Reid showed the ugly side of the Eastleigh style with a cowardly assault on a prone Ross Lafayette behind the back of the officials and it was not long after that goalkeeper Ross Flitney was cautioned for gamesmanship.
Hopes for Welling were raised when they equalised. Ben Jefford slung in a corner that Harry Osborne met with a brave header that flew into the top corner.
James Constable, who scored twice in the meeting between the clubs earlier in the season, had a shot saved just before the break.
Early in the second half, Reason came close with a free kick before Tashan Adeyinka headed over from Barney Williams’ cross.
Neither side looked likely to score again until Eastleigh broke the deadlock with fifteen minutes remaining.
Turley took advantage when Welling failed to defend a break from their own attack and Turley tucked the ball away from the edge of the area.
Neither side looked likely to score again and Welling were left to reflect on another three points dropped.
Afterwards, Fazakerley said “Very frustrating that decisions don’t go your way.” He wasn’t happy with the first goal, either that the cross was not stopped or that the header was not defended well enough. He felt that the second goal could have been avoided and that the game could have gone either way.
“We told the boys that they were there for the taking. They didn’t look dangerous. They didn’t create anything.”
They will now look ahead to the next game at home to Kidderminster and work on how they will approach that game at training on Thursday and Friday.
Welling United: Henly, Williams, Harris, Berry, Osborne, Jefford, Gallagher (Vose 81), St. Aimie (Corne 66), Adeyinka, Lafayette, Harris, Healy.
Unused substitutes: McEntegart, Fagan, Chambers.
Eastleigh: Flitney, Spence, Partington, Turley, Reid, Strevens, Stanley, Reason, Howard (Evans 88), Midson, Constable (Walker 90).
Unused substitutes: Stanley, Reason, Reid, Partington, Walker.
Referee: Richard Martin
Assistants: Matt Eva & Gary Jerden
4th Official: Aji Ajibola
Welling star man: Ben Jefford
Attendance: 700
Pictures supplied by Dave Budden.