First Team
National League South Tue 27 February J Hearnden Skip Hire Community Stadium
Welling Utd
3
Truro City
2
3-2

Welling United came from behind to secure a 3-2 win over Truro City at the J Hearnden Skip Hire Community Stadium on Tuesday evening.

The Wings bounced back from a lacklustre first-half in which they fell a goal behind, bagging two goals in two minutes early in the second half through Gene Kennedy and Sonny Fish, before being pegged back by a Truro leveller.

But Antony Papadopolous’ wonder-strike secured victory for Welling who pull themselves out of the bottom three for the first time since August and stretch their impressive unbeaten run to seven games.

The home side endured a somewhat lacklustre first 45 minutes as they struggled to get going in DA16.

An error gifted the visitors an opportunity after just 25 minutes when Reice Charles-Cook’s mis-kick went straight to the feet of Tyler Harvey who had an open goal at his mercy, but was denied by a goal-saving block from Joe Ellul.

The Wings’ first sight at goal came on four minutes as Sonny Fish out-muscled a defender on the edge of the box, before seeing his shot saved at the near post.

Truro then enjoyed a flurry of shots at Charles-Cook’s goal from varying distances, with the stopper standing strong, saving particularly well from Dan Sullivan as he rushed out to smother the forward’s effort.

But just before the half-hour mark, the White Tigers found a way through – Welling giving up possession in the middle of the park and allowing Sullivan to race through and finish low.

The latter stages of the half saw Welling rally in search of a leveller before the break. Cameron Green fizzed in a dangerous free-kick which came off the head of a Truro defender and dipped inches wide of the post, while Reece Grant headed over from a good position, but they would head for the dressing rooms at the midway point a goal behind.

The Wings needed to galvanise themselves for the restart to get themselves back in the game and they did exactly that – netting twice in two minutes early in the half to turn the game on its head.

First, on 48 minutes, a free-kick from the right caused havoc for the Truro defence, eventually clearing an initial effort off the line, but only as far as Kennedy who turned it home for his first goal in Wings colours.

Then, moments later a swift counter-attack from a Truro corner saw Welling find themselves three-on-one. Grant laid the ball on a plate for Fish who made no mistake in putting away his fourth goal in four league appearances since his arrival at the club.

The hosts’ tails were certainly up, but they would be pegged back just after the hour mark with a strike from nowhere by Tyler Harvey, who found the net from just outside the box.

Undeterred, however, the Wings showed great character to get their noses back in front with Papadopoulos netting the winner in the 76th minute in some style.

The ball fell loose just outside the box and Welling’s number 14 took his chance, smashing home a first-timer in off the left-hand post.

That was all the Wings would need to secure yet another vital three points with the extra weight of pushing themselves up and out of the bottom four.

Stringer’s men will now prepare themselves to continue their unbeaten run as they host Braintree Town on Saturday.

Welling United: Charles-Cook, Lema, Byrd, Ellul, Burchell, Green, Kennedy, Adigun, Papadopoulos, R Grant (Foyo 86), Fish (Holness 90+1).

Subs (not used): Perkins, Krabbendam, Williams-Lowe.

Goals: Kennedy 48, Fish 50, Papadopoulos 76.

Truro City: Hamon, Melhado, Palmer, Sanders, Dean, Harvey, Sullivan (Buse 71), Rooney (Porter 80), Neal (Bray 75), Morrison, Law.

Subs (not used): Kavanagh, Johnson-Fisher.

Booked: Melhado 70

Goals: Sullivan 28, Harvey 63

Referee: Steven Hughes

Att: 568