Welling United 3-1 AFC Hornchurch. Pennock: Beating Urchins is a great result for us - EXCLUSIVE

WELLING UNITED 3-1 AFC HORNCHURCH
Wednesday 18^th October 2006
FA Cup (Sponsored by E.ON) Third Qualifying Round
Stephen McCartney reports from Park View Road

Welling United manager Adrian Pennock paid tribute to AFC Hornchurch after scraping past them to reach the fourth qualifying round of the FA Cup tonight.

Two screamers from Che Stadhart and substitute Des Boateng late in the game sent the Nationwide Conference South hosts through.

They should get past Southern Premier League side Clevedon Town to reach the first round proper for the second successive season.

Mark Janney, who scored the Essex side’s equaliser during Saturday’s enthralling 1-1 draw, brought his side level again tonight, netting his 12th goal of the season from the penalty spot with 14 minutes remaining to cancel out Martin Carthy’s early opener.

AFC Hornchurch, supported by voracious fans, saw their side create an early chance following a poor low clearance from Welling United’s goalkeeper Jamie Turner.

Janney, who received the ball, played a low pass to Simon Parker, who in turn slid a pass through to Kris Lee, whose shot was wayward.

But Carthy scored his second goal of the season to give the Kent side a sixth minute lead from their first corner, to the delight of the Kent club’s highest crowd of the season.

Carthy, who played under Colin McBride at Thurrock, met Jamie Day’s right-footed flag-kick and powered home a header from six-yards.

AFC Hornchurch created their first chance of the game after 23 minutes when Lee’s cushion header gave Garry Cross a sight at goal, but his right-footed drive from the edge of the box, under pressure from a sliding tackle from Ben Lewis, rolled harmlessly wide.

Simon Parker’s fierce drive was comfortably saved by Turner at his near post, after slick passing from the Essex side.

But Wings striker Danny Kedwell was agonisingly close to doubling his side’s lead after 38 minutes, driving just past the foot of the near post.

Matt Bodkin brought a fine save from Dale Brightley just before the break and Carthy blazed over seconds later before Parker’s right-footed free-kick from 19-yards on the left hand side took a deflection as it sailed over Turner’s bar.

The Ryman League Division One North highfliers took the game to their higher league opponents early in the second half and felt they had levelled when Parker slid the ball agonisingly past the foot of the far post, with a right-footed drive across Turner.

The Essex side then forced three successive corners and Jim McFarlane met Andy Tomlinson’s delivery with a firm header, but directed it straight at the Wings goalkeeper.

Welling, however, withstood that pressure and created their next chance on 62 minutes.

Stadhart’s hooked ball over the top sent Kedwell racing through, but a well-timed tackle by Ronnie Fletcher, who scored the own goal that gave the Wings the lead at Bridge Avenue on Saturday, prevented the highly-rated striker scoring his 12 th goal of the season.

Welling then created a couple of chances during a good five minute spell and skipper Chris Moore glanced Day’s free kick wide, and Kedwell’s looping header from the edge of the box was comfortably saved by the former Dartford goalkeeper.

But AFC Hornchurch deservedly drew level with fourteen minutes remaining when Janney’s right-footed penalty found the net, despite Turner guessing the right way, sparking wild celebrations with the vocal travelling fans.

But their joy was short lived as Stadhart gave the Wings the lead within two minutes.

Bodkin’s cross from the left was met by an eight-yard volley from the former Margate striker, which flew into the top far corner.

Bodkin’s electrifying pace created another home chance for the Kent side when he burst down the middle but his shot was spilt by Brightley.

But the goalkeeper recovered and pushed substitute Steve Perkins’ close range shot, from an acute angle, around his near post.

Welling wrapped up the victory inside stoppage time when Bodkin squared to substitute Des Boateng, who swept the ball, left-footed, into the roof of the net, from 25-yards.

Speaking afterwards, Welling United manager Adrian Pennock eyes another place in the first round proper.

He said EXCLUSIVELY to www.kentishfootball.co.uk  : “It’s a good result for us, a massive result. I wouldn’t say it was the best game in the world that we played but the FA Cup is all about results.”

Pennock has treated Colin McBride’s side with the respect they deserve over the two entertaining clashes.

“They made it very hard for us. Colin’s teams are hard to play against ever since I’ve been here.

“Got to give them credit, but I want to give my team credit as well because that’s a massive result for us, a huge result and now we’re looking forward to the next round now.”

Pennock praised his players, especially after scoring two late goals after the Essex side levelled through Janney.

“The boys responded, their heads could have dropped but that’s what we’ve got at this football club. We’ve got very honest lads here and they fully deserve everything that people are saying about them.”

Pennock believes his side will be playing the Urchins in the Nationwide Conference South in two years time.

He said: “They are a good team. We were under no illusions when we got them in the hat.

“They are a Conference South team or higher. Colin has done a very good job down there and I’m sure they’ll go on and win their league and we’ll be playing them in a season or two.

“All credit to them, I’ve got loads of respect for Colin. He’s a gentleman and everyone connected with Hornchurch, even on Saturday when they looked after us very well, they were very kind what they said tonight and very sporting in defeat and that’s very rare that you see than in this day and age.”

Pennock travelled up to Hitchin last night to see Clevedon Town win their replay 4-3 on penalties after the game finished 2-2 after extra time.

But the Wings should have enough to get past their next FA Cup opponents.

“Again not easy,” warned Pennock. “I went there last night and watched the replay. I didn’t want to tempt fate but that might have been the only time that we see Hitchin or Clevedon.

“It’s going to be a difficult game but we’re one game away to getting into the first round of the FA Cup proper and that’s a great achievement if we can do that twice in two seasons.

“The fans deserve it, they were excellent tonight and we just want to do it for them and everyone connected with the football club.”

Welling are in action at Park View Road on Saturday against Bedford Town in league action. “Back to where you earn your money really,” said Pennock. “It’s a very hard game but again we’ve had them watched and they are a very difficult team.

“They’ve had two great results recently but there’s no easy games in any league or any cup competitions.

"The boys are buzzing at the moment and it's great. The changing room is a very happy place."