First Team
National League South Sat 7 October J Hearnden Skip Hire Community Stadium
Welling Utd
2
Farnborough
2
2-2

Welling United were forced to share a point with Farnborough from a 2-2 at the J Hearnden Skip Hire Community Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

After taking the lead through Dominic Odusanya, the Wings were pegged back after the break, but looked to have won it late on when sub TJ Bramble hit the net.

However, the visitors rescued a draw moments later to snatch the points from the hosts.

After a tentative start to proceedings for both sides, the Wings began to grow into it as the first half wore on.

The Wings were getting some good crosses into the box as they began to threaten but it took until the 27th minute for the first shot on target to be registered and it resulted in the opening goal.

With the ball being looped back into the crowded box, Odusanya was able to bring it down and find the net for his first goal in Welling colours.

Farnborough’s first real opening came in the 41st minute when Michael Folivi managed to head well off target from a matter of yards out, while the hosts suffered something similar at the other end when James Vaughan’s free-kick found Jack Burchell in space at the far post, but he could only slam his half-volley over the bar.

Just before that, Danny Bloor’s men had another good chance to stretch their lead when Jephte Tanga was played through on the break, but he was denied by an excellent, last-ditch tackle as he was about to pull the trigger.

But just when it looked like the home side would be heading into the break ahead, the visitors levelled deep into first-half stoppage time via a direct free-kick just outside the box.

With Ollie Pendlebury standing over it, he cleverly curled it low and into the bottom left-hand corner to make it 1-1 at the midway point.

Farnborough had the better of the early stages of the first half, coming close through former Wing Taylor Maloney who sent a stinging half-volley just over, but it was the Wings who came closer just past the hour mark when Lachlan Byrd’s header clipped the top of the crossbar.

Michael Folivi squeezed a shot towards goal from six yards, while Ollie Robinson twisted to send a volley narrowly wide as the visitors threatened again.

With 19 minutes remaining, Welling hit the woodwork yet again when Crossley Lema unleashed a stonking effort from 25 yards which bounced off the crossbar, while Folivi went close from six yards at the other end, only to be denied by an excellent, goal-saving block from Byrd.

Farnborough should probably have entered the final stages of the game with 10 men after sub Jayden Davis, already on a yellow card, landed a cynical foul on Enoch Muwonge as he skipped away, but the referee let him off with a final warning, leading the visitors’ bench to immediately withdraw him.

In truth, the second half was largely broken up with a number of stoppages, making it difficult for either side to really gather a head of steam, but the hosts thought they had won it in the 87th minute when TJ Bramble sent a cool finish into the bottom right-hand corner to put his side 2-1 up and spark scenes of celebrations.

But those celebrations would only last for three minutes as Farnborough reacted with an almost-immediate equaliser through Dan Gifford.

There was still time for one last bit of drama in the fifth minute of injury time when Tanga crossed brilliantly for Abrahams in the box, who hit it sweetly with a well-struck volley which seemed destined for the top right-hand corner, but Jack Turner somehow tipped it over the bar to preserve a point.

Attention will now turn straight back to the Emirates FA Cup, with the Wings heading to Boreham Wood for a place in the first round proper of the competition next Saturday afternoon.

Welling United: Winterbottom, Lema (MacAllister 83), Byrd, Burchell, Green, Tanga, Vaughan (Bramble 46), Odusanya, White (Muwonge 68), Papadopoulos, Abrahams.

Subs (not used): Bayford, Kassarate.

Booked: Lema 45+6 (foul), Tanga 72 (foul on Davis), Green 74 (foul)

Goals: Odusanya 27, Bramble 87

Farnborough: Turner, Ball, Robinson, Folivi  (Gifford 81), Young, Pendlebury, Upward (Davis 34 (Holmes 82)), Maloney, Saied, Hall, Nelson.

Subs (not used): Mekki, Perez.

Booked: Upward 16 (obstruction), Davis 44 (foul on Papadopoulos), Robinson 47 (foul on Tanga), Maloney 90+4 (foul on Bramble)

Goals: Pendlebury 45+7, Gifford 90

Referee: George Warren

Att: 599