Hampton & Richmond Borough 2-0 Welling United - Ford rues costly errors

The Beavers stretched their unbeaten run to thirteen league games, courtesy of a brand of uninspiring football, in a game that lacked quality and was spoilt by the whistle happy referee, Mr Carl Brook.

The home side have now kept nine clean sheets in their last eleven competitive games, conceding only three in the process, and two goals in the last fifteen minutes of a dull game enhanced Alan Devonshire’s side’s play-off aspirations.

Welling United, one place below the Blue Square South play-off zone, welcomed Moses Ademola, who returns to the club for another loan spell from Brentford.

Goalscoring chances were at a premium, and the third placed Beavers almost capitalised on a mistake from Wings central defender Tony Sinclair inside the opening six minutes.

The ball got caught in between Sinclair’s legs and Hampton striker Lawrence Yaku burst forward and his right-footed chip from 25-yards was plucked out of the air by the advancing David Wilkerson, on the edge of his penalty box.

Hampton’s next chance, meanwhile, fell to Yaku with just five minutes of an uneventful first half remaining. A long clearance from goalkeeper Matt Lovett was knocked down by midfielder Francis Quarm and Yaku drove a bouncing left-footed shot harmlessly past the near post.

The workmanlike home side did call Wilkinson into action through two long-range drives just before the hour, but Shaun McAuley and Marcello Fernandes were being too ambitious if they felt that they were going to beat the on-loan goalkeeper from fully 35-yards.

It took shot-shy Welling seventy minutes to register their first shot on target, when Charlie Sheringham’s cross was flicked on by James Baker and Ademola stroked the ball into Lovett’s grateful arms, the goalkeeper making a low comfortable save.

But when Hampton & Richmond broke the stalemate five minutes later, you sensed that Welling would not be able to come back, as the Bevers add the Wings to the scalps of Bromley and Fisher Athletic in the past seventeen days.

A long ball over the top caught the Welling back-four flat-footed and Yaku pounced on the opportunity and went on to lash a right-footed half-volley over the advancing Wilkinson and into the roof of an empty net.

Welling striker Loui Fazakerley almost made an immediate impact, as the substitute came within inches of brining the Kent side level, but his glancing looping header bounced agonisingly past the foot of the far post.

But the uninspiring hosts scored a flattering second with three minutes of this depressingly dull game left.

Lovett’s hoof up field should have been dealt with by Wings central defender Matthew McEnteggart, but the 25-year-old allowed the ball to bounce over his head and instead of Wilkinson reacting to the loose ball, the pair of them allowed substitute Nana Bada to sneak in and slot gleefully into an empty net.

Disappointed Welling United boss Andy Ford, speaking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk afterwards, felt Hampton & Richmond Borough were lucky to win the game by two clear goals, but rued poor defending at key moments.

“We wanted a result out of tonight,” he said. “But I’ve just said to the lads in there, I thought we did ok for about fifty minutes to an hour.

“I think we had the better chances over the night, I think we had three gilt-edged chances. We seemed to have had to work hard for our goes and they didn’t drop in tonight.

“But we’ve given away two poor goals tonight, individual errors at the back that have cost us two individual goals and that was the difference between the two sides tonight.

“It was a bit scrappy, competitive, a lot of ball in the air, the referee was making lots and lots of decisions, which were a little bit strange and never let the game flow at all tonight unfortunately - but it’s the same for both sides.”

Ford admitted things went well for Hampton & Richmond Borough tonight as their play-off hopes suffered a blow in Middlesex tonight.

“I think they were a bit lucky tonight to be honest,” he said. “We had three chances really, we should have tucked them away.

“At the end of the day, maybe they were a little bit lucky at times. Had our finishing was on we should have scored three tonight, but it wasn’t.

“Sometimes when you’re on a roll like they are, they haven’t lost for quite a few games, and they get the rub of the green.

“But it was the way we gave away the goals that’s disappointing tonight and if we have got play-off hopes they need to be sorted out and make sure we don’t make those silly errors.”

Ford is, however, pleased to have been able to retain the services of Ademola, albeit on another loan spell from Griffin Park.

He said: “He’s only on loan for two months, but unfortunately they have got a 24-hour call back on him, which they may do, because Brentford have a promotion battle themselves.

“I thought he added something to the team tonight - but second half he didn’t demand the midfield like he did in the first half.”

Whilst some of the travelling Wings fans vented their anger at the east Sussex referee at the final whistle, they know if they are having trouble sleeping at night, they should return to watch Hampton & Richmond play. Although boring, their style, if you can call it that, gets them results and are third in the Blue Square South table, twelve points clear of sixth placed Welling.

But fans like to be entertained when they watch football.

Hampton & Richmond Borough: Matt Lovett, Marcello Fernandes (Graham Harper 83), Shaun McAuley (Kieran Knight 66), Orlando Jeffrey, John Scarborough, Dean Wells, Stuart Lake, Francis Quarm, Ian Hodges, Lawrence Yaku (Nana Badu 81), Barrie Matthews.
Subs: Ryan Lake, Steve Tyson.

Goals: Lawrence Yaku 75, Nana Badu 87

Booked: Ian Hodges 31, Marcello Fernandes 45, Francis Quarm 85

Welling United: David Wilkinson, Graeme Andrews, Sonny Cobbs, Jack Parkinson, Matthew McEntegart, Tony Sinclair (Gavin Dayes 73), Sanchez Ming (Ryan Johnson 45), Lee Blackburn, James Baker, Charlie Sheringham (Loui Fazakerley 78), Moses Ademola.
Subs: Rob Quinn, Charlie Mitten.

Booked: Sanchez Ming 11, Tony Sinclair 32, James Baker 73

Attendance: 475
Referee: Mr Carl Brook (St Leonards on Sea, East Sussex)
Assistants: Mr Andy Tonks (Wellingborough, Northamptonshire) & Mr Mark Sage (Luton, Bedfordshire)