Welling United 1-0 Tonbridge Angels - The team has progressed since I've been here, says Jamie Day

Saturday 20th November 2010

WELLING UNITED 1-0 TONBRIDGE ANGELS
FA Carlsberg Trophy Third Qualifying Round
Saturday 20th November 2010
Paul Parkinson reports from Park View Road

A SUBLIME solo effort from Luis Cumbers after 59 minutes lit up a disappointing Kent derby in the FA Carlsberg Trophy Third Qualifying Round and enabled Welling United to progress into Monday‘s draw. With few chances in the match, it always looked as though one goal would settle the tie; but what a goal!

Tonbridge Angels manager, Tommy Warrilow summed the goal up perfectly, saying afterwards to www.kentishfootball.co.uk: “That‘s a gutting thing; one ball and we‘re exposed. The lad (Cumbers) has put a challenge in on Scotty (Gooding) and we‘ve not got round. I suppose it was going to be a goal like that that finished it.””

Whereas, the victorious Welling player-boss, Jamie Day, praised his match-winner, when also talking to www.kentishfootball.co.uk the midfielder said: “Luis has shown good pace, touch and a great finish, which is why we brought him here in the summer. He‘s scored six or seven goals now and long may it continue.””

In a re-match from this stage of the FA Carlsberg Trophy a year ago, Welling came close to breaking the deadlock with a quick passing move between Cumbers, Joe Healy, Loick Pires, before finally Loui Fazackerley drove in a shot that was deflected just past Lee Worgan‘s right hand post.

Next, the diving Pires met Fazackerley‘s pinpoint cross to the back post, but the forward‘s header was powered into the ground and up over the bar.

After Gareth Stewart was quickly off his line to dive bravely at the feet of Jay May, Fazackerley hit a dipping volley over the Tonbridge crossbar.

In response, Frannie Collin had two efforts that scraped past the Welling uprights; first a 35 yard speculator, then from a 20 yard free-kick.

Following a fifth booking of the season for Day, that will see the Welling player-manager sit out next week‘s trip to Farnborough, Scott Kinch‘s header was claimed comfortably by Stewart under his bar, before the keeper had to be alert to backpedal to tip Rory Hill‘s deflected shot away.

Tonbridge keeper, Worgan, was also busy at the end of the first half, clearing a number of corners swung dangerously into his six-yard box by both Day and Jack Obersteller.

The second half followed the same pattern, although Jack Parkinson should have done better from a Day free kick, but could only smash his effort into the side netting from close range.

The goal, when it came, was a classic long-ball effort. Stewart‘s long clearance was met by a challenge between Cumbers and Scott Gooding. The Welling forward broke away with the ball, held off another challenge from Ben Judge and, having powered into the area, calmly slotted his shot past Worgan into the corner of the net.

This seemed to wake the visitors up and Tonbridge put together their best passing move of the game, flowing through seven first time passes, before Lee Browning couldn‘t match the move with the cross into the box.

The introduction of two substitutes provided the Angels with a fresh impetus, and one of them, Claude Seanla managed to dink a shot past Stewart, only to see Jamie Coyle hook the ball clear off the line. From the clearance, the ball fell to Cumbers who turned Jon Heath and squared the ball to Pires, who slid his shot wide from 10 yards.

Having seen his side suffer their third defeat in a week, Warrilow said: “I thought we were better than last year, but the game never really got going. First half was much of a muchness, second half was better, but we can play a lot better than that. I thought we deserved at least a draw out of the game.

“No disrespect to Welling, but I‘ve got boys in there who should be playing at this level, so I put expectations on them to come to places like this and perform.

“They‘re a decent outfit, Welling, up the top of their league and we‘ve come here and not disgraced ourselves and I didn‘t expect us to.”

Wings boss Day summed up the mood by saying: “I think today was about getting through the round. It‘s been a difficult time; we were on a hiding to nothing, expected to win, so I‘m pleased we won and are through. It would be nice to get a big club in the next round, but we want to progress as far as possible. If we got a Luton away from home, that‘s not going to get much better than a final.”

“The boys have been first class, today we‘ve only got the three subs, Andy Sambrook and Andy Pugh are both injured, but we‘ve got to get on with it. Hopefully the situation (the transfer embargo) will change and we can bring a few people in & give some, including myself, a rest.”

“I‘d like to think that the team has progressed since I‘ve been here. I think it‘s getting harder on the playing side; it‘s getting to the stage I‘d like to take a step back and get a different perspective, but unfortunately we‘re not in the position to do that at the minute.

“I‘ve been surprised by some of the things that I‘ve seen in the background, not so much as a player, but as a manager, but they are things that you have to use to your advantage and use further down the line to help you and help the team. I‘ve learned a few things and hopefully I‘ll progress. I‘m enjoying it, especially when we win, so fingers crossed, we‘ll keep winning more games.”

Welling United: Gareth Stewart, Jamie Coyle, Jack Obersteller, Jamie Day, Graeme Andrews, Jack Parkinson, Loui Fazackerley, Lee Clarke, Loick Pires (Jordan Johnson 90), Luis Cumbers, Joe Healy.

Subs: Anthony Acheampong, Osa Obamwonyi.

Goal: Luis Cumbers 59.

Booked: Jamie Day 36, Loick Pires 89.

Tonbridge Angels: Lee Worgan, Jon Heath, Danny Walder, Scott Kinch (Jake Beecroft 76), Ben Judge, Scott Gooding, Lee Browning, Chris Piper, Jay May, Frannie Collin, Rory Hill (Claude Seanla 76).

Subs: Sonny Miles, Jamie England, Alex O‘Brien.

Booked: Scott Kinch 21, Jay May 53, Danny Walder 84.

Attendance: 431

Referee: Mr Matt Foley (Palmers Green, London N13)

Assistants: Mr Peter Zuffa (Walthamstow, London E17) and Mr Jamie Garwood (South Woodford, Essex)