After two defeats on the spin, Welling United bounced back with an important win against Torquay United.

Late goals by loanee Charlie Pegrum and Gene Kennedy ensured that the Wings claimed the three points required to get them back into the winning habit.

Two early Torquay corners came to nothing and from Welling’s first serious attack, Pegrum’s initial effort was blocked and his second attempt was deflected just past the post for a corner. When Kennedy’s delivery was cleared, Cody Cooke broke away and drew a good save from Rhys Lovett for a corner at the other end. The delivery fell to Dean Moxey who skied it high into the trees in Danson Park.

James Hamon was then called into making his first save when Anointed Chukwu shot from out wide before the Gulls thought that they had gone ahead. Moxey’s long throw was flicked on and came off a defender into the path of Cooke. He fired home, but he was deemed to be offside.

Matt Carson was well off target with a Torquay free kick before Roddy Collins went closer with a first time volley that flashed just wide.

Just as the first half had a cagey opening, so did the second period until the visitors twice went close. Lirak Hasani created space and his shot came back out off the inside of the post. Then Torquay won a corner that Cooke met with a close range header that was saved brilliantly by Lovett who tipped it onto the bar.

Having survived those chances, Welling then took the game by the scruff of the net and created opportunities of their own. Chukwu’s great centre forward play sent Pegrum away but he was forced wide and his shot was blocked. Then Chukwu got out wide and his cross was deflected and looped up causing it to lose it’s power so that Elliot Long couldn’t get enough on his header to trouble Hamon.

Long made space for himself in the Wings’ next attack and fired low towards the bottom corner, however Hamon got down to make a great save. It came out just beyond Pegrum, and was cleared to safety.

New signing centre forward David Carty was then introduced as a Welling substitute, and after Matt Carson shot well wide for the Gulls, he gave an idea of what he might offer the Wings when controlling well and laying off well to Kennedy. His shot was charged down and came back out to TJ Bramble whose follow up was kept out by a brave Torquay block.

Eight minutes remained when Welling broke the dead-lock. Long worked his way to the bye-line and pulled it back for Pegrum to finish.

Despite making two substitutions, Torquay were unable to create further opportunities and Welling’s stoppage time replacement, Reece Grant made an almost immediate impact. He came second best in a tackle with Moxey, but as the Gulls’ defender dithered, Grant nicked it away from him and timed his pass to Kennedy perfectly to send him clear. He drew Hamon out before waiting for the goalkeeper to go to ground and dinked it over him into the empty net.

Rod Stringer’s team now has a break from league football as they start their F. A. Cup campaign with a mouth watering tie against Chatham Town.

Welling United: Lovett, Burchell, Wells, A. Grant, Perkins (Mensah 78), Winfield, Pegrum (R. Grant 90+1), Kennedy, Chukwu (Carty 73), Long, Bramble. Subs not used: Munns, Andrews.

Goalscorers: Pegrum (82), Kennedy (90+4).

Yellow cards: Winfield, Chukwu, Perkins, A. Grant.

Torquay United: Hamon, Tonks, Carson, Palmer, Dreyer, Moxey, Collins (Craske 70), Hasani (Mussa 84), Cooke, Seymour (Ash 74), Threlkeld (Crosbie 87). Sub not used: Tomlinson.

Goalscorers: None

Yellow cards: None

Referee: Nicholas Dunn

Assistants: Ryan Chantrill-Smith and Steven Goldup

Fourth Official: Craig Barnett

Attendance: 893

Images courtesy of Dave Budden