Welling United 0-5 Carlisle United - It was a harsh scoreline, the boys didn't deserve that, admits Welling United coach Paul Barnes

Welling United 0 – 5 Carlisle United
Location	Park View Road, Welling, Kent DA16 1SY
Kickoff	06/12/2015 14:00

WELLING UNITED  0-5  CARLISLE UNITED
The FA Cup Second Round (Sponsored by Emirates)
Sunday 6^th December 2015
Stephen McCartney reports from Park View Road

WELLING UNITED coach Paul Barnes says his side were on the end of some harsh decisions after exiting The FA Cup in the Second Round.

Sixth-placed Sky Bet League Two side Carlisle United booked their place in the Third Round following a 5-0 victory at Park View Road and could potentially face a Premier League giant in early January.

Welling United defeated Ryman Premier Leaguers Grays Athletic 4-0 at Park View Road in a Fourth Qualifying Round Replay after escaping with 1-1 draw in the first game, before winning 2-0 at Evo-Stik Northern Premier League side Barwell in the First Round. 

Carlisle United got their FA Cup campaign underway with a 2-0 win at Plymouth Argyle.

Keith Curle’s side started today’s game on the front foot and opened the scoring after eighteen minutes through Charlie Wyke’s finish.

The Cumbrians killed off their sixth-from-bottom Vanarama National League hosts with a controversial second on the stroke of half-time when television replays confirmed that the ball struck Anthony Sweeney’s left elbow on its way into the net following a corner.

Welling United keeper Michael McEntegart saved a penalty from Carlisle skipper Daniel Sweeney, but the left-back then rifled his second spot-kick into the top left hand corner when Welling United were reduced to ten men when Harry Osborne was sent off for a professional foul.

Carlisle United striker Wyke then completed his first professional hat-trick on his 23^rd birthday, taking his tally up to eight for the season, to bring some cheer to the people of Carlisle, who are coming to terms with flooding after being battered by storm Desmond in recent days.

With Welling United manager Loui Fazakerley conducting his television interview, his coach Barnes admitted it just wasn’t going to be Welling’s day.

“Harsh! We just said in the interview, I thought it was a harsh scoreline,” admitted Barnes.

“We’re not doubting, we probably didn’t deserve to win the game or get something from it but it would’ve been nice to have a fair result because we think the boys didn’t deserve that.

“A few decisions that don’t help you along the way but again the boys kept going right up to the end.

“We’re going to be realistic,” Barnes added.  “Playing against a full-time pro club with lots of resources, players with a lot of league experience, it was always going to be tough.  We knew that we had to be at our best to get anything and they had to be off the pace a little bit.”

There was not going to be a FA Cup giant-killing in this game as Carlisle United stamped their authority on the game straight from the off.

Right-back Alexander McQueen played the ball up the line to Jacob Ibehre, who whipped in a cross into the Welling penalty area and Wyke planted his free header past the far post after only 15 seconds.

Ibehre then drilled a shot high and wide from inside the Welling penalty area, to ironic cheers from the home fans in their largest crowd of the season of 2,028.

Carlisle United created a great chance to open the scoring, with only two minutes and 44 seconds on the clock.

Mark Ellis wiped the ball underneath his blue shirt before launching a long throw into the penalty area, the ball coming to Sweeney, whose right-footed shot on the turn was turned away by McEntegart, diving to his left.

Barnes said: “It’s tough because even before the game you said we’ve got to start fast and set the tempo, come out really on the front foot. It was hard because it took the lads like ten minutes to actually start going, so it was a tough one.”

But to their credit, Welling United, who train three mornings a week, started to get back into the game, playing some nice football in midfield, without having the cutting edge in the final third.

Barnes said: “At times you could see that we were capable of opening them up and play some really good football but you have to do it for the whole period of the game, you can’t do it for spits and spats.”

The decision to give striker Kieron St Aimie his first start of the season proved to be a costly one and it was his mistake inside the Welling half that helped Carlisle United take a deserved lead inside 18 minutes.

St Aimie lost the ball to Jason Kennedy, who poked the ball into Ibehre’s path, who played a lovely through ball and Wyke swept his right-footed shot across the keeper to find the bottom far corner from 15-yards.

“Not the greatest goal to concede,” admitted Barnes.

“Disappointing all round from lots of different aspects of it. That’s something that we’ll be looking at and talking about this week going into next week’s game.”

Zach Fagan’s ball out of Welling’s defence went straight to Kennedy, who played the ball into Wyke, whose right-footed shot from 25-yards brought a comfortable save from the Welling keeper.

Welling United created their only chance of the first half after 28 minutes.

Right-back Barney Williams played the ball into George Porter, who passed inside to Ricky Wellard, who found St Aimie, who teed up Michael Bakare, whose left-footed drive from 25-yards screamed over the crossbar.

“There was a few bits of nice play when we got into the final third,” said Barnes.

“We said to the lads at half-time, we need to be a bit more decisive, a bit more clinical about the decision making because we thought we got into some good areas but we never pulled the trigger or we was lacking a bit of quality.”

Grainger swung in a corner from the right towards the near post area, which was flicked on by Sweeney and the ball came out to Ellis, who produced a central defender’s finish, hitting an overhead kick past the left-hand post from 16-yards.

Welling United were caught on the break following their only corner of the first half, taken by Sam Corne.  Carlisle cleared the ball up to Ibehre, who used his power and pace to race down the left, cut into the box but his shot from a tight angle was cut out by McEntegart at his near post.

But Welling United were facing a mountain to climb when Carlisle United scored a controversial goal with 44:10 on the clock.

Grainger swung in a dangerous corner from the right, which McEntegart got a couple of touches to the ball underneath his crossbar within a crowd of players on the goal-line.

The Welling keeper then dived to his right to make the save from Kennedy’s low drive.  The ball came out to an unmarked Ibehre, who also powered his shot through a crowd of players. 

Television replays online clearly show that the ball bounced off Sweeney’s left elbow, diverting the ball into the bottom far corner of the net.

You expected and hoped that referee Simon Hooper was going to blow his whistle but home fans looked on in disbelief when Sweeney was able to celebrate his third goal of the season.

Barnes, who was speaking without the aid of a television replay, said: “I’d like to see it again, like we said in another interview, a few decisions today that, not saying it’s going to make a world of difference, but I think you look at them and it’s very harsh on us.

“You go in (at half-time) and if it’s just 1-0 you’ve got a real chance of coming out, even though the boys came out second half and had a go and then there’s other circumstances that develop and it’s tough to play against.”

When asked what was said during the half-time interval, Barnes revealed: “Stay positive, keep trying to play when we get into those final third areas.

“We have to be clinical, got to be decisive and got to take those opportunities, either work the goalkeeper, get good balls into the area, where we can attack, so it was much of the same.  We had to cut out silly errors that we felt we helped them to score their goals so it was trying to find that balance.”

Carlisle created the first chance of the second half after only 55 seconds, but Ibehre’s scuffed shot from just outside the left-hand corner of the penalty area was gathered comfortably by McEntegart.

Referee Simon Hooper awarded Carlisle United their first penalty of the game when Ibehre went down following Fagan’s challenge.

Grainger stepped up and his left-footed 53^rd minute penalty was saved by McEntegart, who smothered the ball moving to his left and the ball was cleared away by Welling left-back Ben Jefford.

“Great save by the way from Michael,” added Barnes.

“Really happy for him because he’s worked ever so well this year and we see it all the time, his ability, so we knew that he had it in him.

“As for the actual penalty decision itself, I thought it was very harsh. I thought Zach has come in, he’s got part of the ball. Granted, momentum has taken him into the lad but the lad’s almost looking for it.  I thought it was a very harsh decision and I think the ref was a bit quick to make those decisions as well.”

Welling United’s luck was out when striker Michael Bakare appeared to have his heels clipped from behind after he danced past three defenders – and Porter appeared to have been fouled in the box by Ellis during the first half. Both decisions were not given by the referee.

Alex Gilliead swept the ball forward from the right touchline but Ibehre’s first touch was poor and McEntegart collected the loose ball.

Wyke then put Gilliead through on goal down the right and McEntegart moved off his line to make the save low to his left.

There were loud cheers ringing around the ground when St Aime’s misery came to an end when he was substituted after 62 minutes, although he was clapped off by Welling’s management team, before a word in the ear before the unimpressive target-man disappeared down the tunnel.

Grainger went close with a left-footed free-kick from the left corner of the box, which only just cleared the Welling crossbar from 25-yards, before Welling United were reduced to ten men after 66 minutes.

Referee Mr Hooper sent off Welling United central defender Osborne after the last man put Sweeney on the floor.

This time, Grainger made no mistake, rifling his left-footed penalty into the top left-hand corner, despite McEntegart diving to same way, to his right, with 67 minutes on the clock.

Barnes said: “Again, I’d like to see the incident again because I thought, again it was soft.

“I can understand if he’s going to give it, he’s got to send him off. I’m not disagreeing with that once he’s made that decision but I question the decision in the first place.

“I thought it was a bit quick. I don’t know if he consulted with his lineman, I’m not too sure his view of it because it would’ve been similar to mine and I thought it was a bit soft.”

The travelling fans that made it to Park View Road were celebrating their fourth goal with nineteen minutes left.

Substitute Derek Asamoah released Gilliead down the right and his low shot was parried by McEntegart’s right hand, diving to his right but the ball rolled into Wyke’s path, who slotted his first time right-footed shot into the bottom left-hand corner from 10-yards.

“At that time we felt for the lads. We’re still trying to play. We’re still trying to be productive, use the ball to try to get into good areas, which we did even with ten-men,” said Barnes.

“We’ve got different personnel changing, you’re trying to shift the pack around so it was always going to be tough.  There was always going to be holes and again their Football League experience came into play and they picked us off like a true pro club would.”

Welling United, to their credit, kept plugging away when everything appeared to be going against them.

They should have pulled a goal back when impressive Williams reached the by-line to whip his cross towards the far post but Bakare steered his shot past the near post.

“Again, it shows the character of the boys as well because a lot of teams would’ve sat back and thought we’d defend now for the rest of the game but we kept going,” said Barnes.

“That was our right-back getting to the by-line, getting a great ball in for Baks. If it would have been a bit better contact we could’ve nicked a goal.

“We were worth a goal at least. It’s unfortunate but it showed the intent from the lads all the way until the end.”

Carlisle United swung in another Grainger free-kick from the left and Michael Raynes came up from the back to plant his free-kick over the crossbar from four-yards out.

Corne – who is interesting Premier League champions Chelsea - threaded the ball through to substitute striker Sahr Kabba, who screwed his shot past the near post whilst being under pressure inside the Carlisle box.

But Welling United felt they had scored a consolation with less than two minutes remaining after winning a free-kick just outside the left-hand corner of the Carlisle box.

Corne curled his right-footed free-kick over the flapping Dan Hanford but the ball agonisingly clipped the top of the far post and bounced across the face of goal and was cleared to safety.

Barnes said: “I thought we all did (celebrate).  I thought we were at least worth a goal today.  The lads work-rate, the effort they put in, some of the football they played, it was the least we deserved, so it was unfortunate that it didn’t go in but from the effort itself it shows the quality that we’ve got in the side.”

To rub insult to injury, Carlisle scored their fifth goal, with 44:51 on the clock as two of their substitutes got involved down the left.

Gary Dicker released Patrick Brough and he whipped in a quality low ball in behind Welling’s two central defenders and Wyke steered his first time shot into the net.

Barnes said: “The lads are disappointed with the result, obviously coming away, no one likes to lose 5-0 but we just had a real good talk in there.

“The boys know what counts. The people around them, we’re the ones who can help us progress, help each other develop so everyone’s willing to fight for each other, staff and players included and were ready to kick on now and really dig in to Christmas and help us move up this league table.”

It could have been six inside injury time when central midfielder Kennedy swept his shot across McEntegart from 12-yards, the ball clipping the foot of the far post.

Welling United have scooped £43,000 in prize money and television revenue and that’s not including the match day gate receipts and revenue from their four games during Fazakerley’s first FA Cup campaign.

The next task for the managerial trio is to keep Welling United in the Vanarama National League.  They are three points clear of the relegation zone with 23 league games left to play.

Barnes said: “We’re always realistic a club of our size. People are making a big deal out of the day I believe, which rightly so, it should be.

“We talk about how far the lads have come.  We only came in March. Nine months working with the lads to come in with the position we did and the club not being at this stage of the competition for a long time to then come in this year and get to where we’ve got, I think is an achievement in itself.

“The lads have got to look at that as a benchmark because it’s only nine months we’ve been working with them and we’ve got to the Second Round, obviously losing but the little journey you’ve been on, it’s experience and we talk about it all the time.

“We say we’ve got a young group with lots of potential.  The experience they’re picking up now in these kind of games is going to be very handy when you go into the business end to the season.”

When asked whether the revenue from this FA Cup run will be used during the January transfer window to ensure the club retain their current league status, Barnes replied: “I’m not too sure. It’s something that we have to sit down with the powers at be and discuss a few options.

“We’ve got our squad, we’re really happy with the balance we’ve got of the squad at the moment so it’s looking at areas that we feel we’re looking to strengthen and having that conversation so we’ll be doing that over the next few weeks.”

Welling United: Michael McEntegart, Barney Williams, Ben Jefford, Zach Fagan (Harry Lee 57), Harry Osborne, Michael Chambers, Sam Corne, Michael Bakare (Sahr Kabba 77), Kieron St Aimie (Reece Harris 62), George Porter, Ricky Wellard.
Subs: Ali Ferhat Aksoy, Tashan Adeyinka, Kevin Lokko, Xavier Vidal

Sent Off: Harry Osborne 66

Carlisle United: Dan Hanford, Alexander McQueen, Danny Grainger, Luke Joyce, Michael Raynes, Mark Ellis, Alex Gilliead (Patrick Brough 72), Jason Kennedy, Charlie Wyke, Jacob Ibehre (Derek Asamoah 68), Anthony Sweeney (Gary Dicker 68).
Subs: Bastien Hery, Troy Archibald-Henville, Joe Thompson, Morgan Bacon

Goals: Charlie Wyke 18, 71, 90, Anthony Sweeney 45, Danny Grainger 67 (penalty)

Booked: Anthony Sweeney 26, Mark Ellis 77

Attendance: 2,028 (550 away)
Referee: Mr Simon Hooper
Assistants: Mr Ian Rathbone & Mr Lloyd Wood
Fourth Official: Mark Dermien