Having surrendered their 17 month unbeaten home record last time out, Welling United showed that Park View Road is still a difficult place to visit with an outstanding victory over third placed Forest Green Rovers.

It all looked straight forward for the Wings as they raced into an early two goal lead, but a goal for the visitors on the stroke of half time, and another soon after the break could have broken them. Welling remained strong, just as they did on Saturday, and ended winning comfortably.

After surviving a couple of early chances created by the dangerous James Norwood, United went ahead in the ninth minute when Eddie Oshodi turned Doug Bergqvist’s shot into his own net.

An injury caused Bergqvist to retire soon after but his replacement, Loick Pires, doubled Welling’s lead almost immediately. A brilliant Sam Russell stop saved Oshodi from a second own goal but he was powerless as Pires bundled home the loose ball.

Forest Green tried to claw their way back into the game but Welling looked more likely to score again. Kurtis Guthrie twisted really well to head a Loui Fazakerley cross towards the top corner but Russell tipped over.

Alex Dyer had a curling effort saved and Ross Lafayette fired over before Forest Green pulled a goal back with the last kick of the half. The Welling management will be unhappy that it came from their own free kick that was cleared downfield for Anthony Barry to launch a fierce swerving shot that gave Lee Butcher no chance.

It looked as though Welling had weathered the early second half pressure, requiring two Butcher saves, when Forest Green were gifted a chance to equalise. An extremely harsh penalty was awarded when Jack Obersteller blocked Norwood’s cross and Yan Klukowski converted.

Welling were awarded a penalty of their own when Lee Clarke was felled following Lafayette’s dummy. After waiting for Dale Bennett to be dismissed, Lafayette stepped up and scored,

Clarke then took full advantage when Russell dropped Fazakerley’s cross to restore Welling’s two goal lead.

Aarran Racine saw a shot blocked by Fazakerley then his rebound saved by Butcher before Welling added a fifth through Dyer

Two late Welling substitutions included a debut for Callum Webb and he almost marked it with a goal but saw his deflected shot saved.

 

Welling United: Butcher, Fazakerley, Jack Obersteller, Gallagher, Franks, Bergqvist (Pires 17), Dyer, Clarke, Guthrie (Webb 90), Lafayette (Hughes-Mason 87), Healy.

Unused substitutes: Turner, Joe Obersteller.

Forest Green Rovers: Russell, Hodgkiss, Bangura, Turley, Bennett, Norwood, Wright (Mangan 73), Oshodi, Barnes-Homer, Barry, Kelly (Klokowski 31 (Racine 69)).

Unused substitutes: Vieira, Taylor.

Referee: Lee Swabey

Attendance: 452

Welling star man: Kurtis Guthrie

Picture supplied by Dave Budden.