Welling United 3-1 Bromley - We're proving how good we are, says Ford

Star striker, Charlie Sheringham, took his goalscoring tally to sixteen with a brace, and left-sided midfielder, Loui Fazackerley scored against his former club, as the Wings dominated from start to finish.

Ryan Hall’s fifth goal of the season proved to be the only bright spark for Bromley, who missed their leading goalscorer Warren McBean, Manager Mark Goldberg used a 4-5-1 formation and lone striker Nic McDonnell was a frustrated man throughout.

McBean, the former Sutton United striker, scored Bromley’s goal when the two sides met at Hayes Lane on Boxing Day.

Evidence of how much Welling dominated today can be sought from the corner count - 16 to 2 in the home side’s favour.

The Wings kept faith with the same starting eleven that won 3-1 at Hayes Lane, whilst McBean’s withdrawal was one of three changes made by midtable Bromley.

Welling United’s first of many chances, almost brought the first goal, after eight minutes.

Lee Blackburn’s corner from the right was met by a towering Tony Sinclair header, which was cleared off the line by Bromley right-back, Mark Corneille, at full stretch.

Visiting goalkeeper, Gareth Williams, was called into action nine minutes later.

Blackburn’s fifth corner of the game, again from the right-hand side, was headed clear by the visiting defence, only as far as Wings’ left-back, Sonny Cobbs, whose rasping half-volley from the edge of the box was plucked out of the air by the goalkeeper.

Welling United deservedly opened the scoring, through Sheringham’s right-footed penalty, after 31 minutes.

The home faithful were crying out for a penalty for a foul on Sheringham, but the striker’s glancing header was heading into Rob Quinn’s path, but the run from the central midfielder was crudely halted by Jerome Sobers.

Referee Nigel Lugg pointed to the penalty spot and Sheringham sent Williams the wrong way, firing the penalty into the bottom left-hand corner.

Bromley almost levelled within two minutes, through their only shot on target, during a one-sided half.

A mix-up in the Wings penalty area let in Billy Crook but the central midfielder struck a left-footed shot straight at Clark Masters.

Then, at the other end, Sheringham brought Blackburn’s free-kick under control with his chest before flashing a shot across goal and agonisingly past the foot of the far post, from the edge of the six-yard box.

Williams made a fine low save with six minutes to go before the break.

A weaving run from right-sided midfielder Sanchez Ming parted the Bromley defence and striker Moses Ademola brought the best out of the goalkeeper.

Fazackerley then met Ming’s cross with a flying header, which whistled over Williams’ crossbar as a rather one-sided first half came to a close.

Yet another Wings chance arrived in the early stages of the second half when Blackburn glanced Ademola’s cross just past the near post.

But Williams pulled off his best save of the match, before Welling doubled their lead from the resulting corner after 52 minutes.

A low curling 30-yard free-kick from right-back Lee Protheroe was heading towards the bottom right-hand corner, before Williams dived quickly low to his left to turn the ball around the post.

Blackburn’s resulting corner, however, from the right, was met by Sinclair and his header was converted at the far post by Fazackerley, whose header flew into the roof of the net, over a crowded goal-line.

Hall’s 35-yard free-kick brought a comfortable save from Masters before Bromley pulled a goal back from a fine Hall strike after 63 minutes - their third and last shot on target.

A delightful through ball from Crook parted the home defence like the Red Sea and Hall raced into the area and coolly slotted the ball past Masters, finding the back of the net via the foot of the left-hand post.

Williams made a comfortable low save, diving to his right, to prevent Sheringham from a right-footed drive from 12-yards, following good work from Ademola down the right-hand side.

Father Teddy, however, would have been very proud to have seen his son score a quality goal, which sealed a thoroughly deserved three points with twenty minutes remaining.

Fazackerley did well to keep in Protheroe’s ball out of defence and his drilled cross from the right found Sheringham unmarked in the centre of the Bromley penalty area.

The black haired striker cracked an unstoppable right-footed shot on the turn past the helpless Williams to the delight of the Park View Road faithful.

McDonnell did find the net later on, but the flag had already been raised for offside, following Ashley-Paul Robinson’s left-footed drilled ball back into the box, but by that stage Bromley were well beaten.

Wings boss Andy Ford was pleased from the performance from his side, that are now in the Blue Square South play-off’s with 20 games remaining.

“I thought it was a good team performance today, I thought in the first half.” Ford told www.kentishfootball.co.uk afterwards.

“Welling managers don’t like to go in at half-time and praise too much because it could come back and kick you in the backside sometimes, but today I went in and said it was very, very good.

“First 35 minutes I thought we played very, very well. Their goal brought them back into it a little bit, then Charlie (Sheringham) comes up with that goal again. “He did it in the other game against them (on Boxing Day) as well, another quality goal.”

Welling swiftly return to action with a trip to play Basingstoke Town on Saturday.

The Hampshire side have only financially crippled Fisher Athletic and Bognor Regis Town below them in the table and are three points adrift of safety.

Despite that, however, Ford expects a tough game at The Camrose.

He said: “I think Basingstoke are in a dangerous position, they need points. We won’t be going there taking anything (for granted).

“Any team in this league can always dump you at one time or another so you’ve got to make sure you prepare properly.

“But obviously winning games is the biggest thing, it gives players confidence and that’s what we’re doing at the moment, so it’s making my job easier telling the players’ how good they are when they know that are because of their results.”

Welling United go into the game four points behind second placed AFC Wimbledon, who have a game in hand.

Since losing at home to league leaders Chelmsford City, the Wings have won their last four league games and Ford has told his side to keep that up going into the New Year.

“I think the two big-time boys, they’re already in there,” said Ford. “There going to take some shifting to be honest, Chelmsford and AFC (Wimbledon). They’ve got big budgets like most of the top teams have and you have to leave them to do that themselves.

“We’ve got to scrap along and see if we can find another little place in there. All we can do is take care of ourselves really. It’s nothing to do with anyone else, it’s just us and I’ve asked the lads to try and go and get some back-to-back wins together to propel us in that play-off area and that’s what they’ve done.”

Welling United: Clark Masters, Lee Protheroe (Delando Smith 77), Sonny Cobbs, Rob Quinn, Graeme Andrews, Tony Sinclair, Sanchez Ming, Lee Blackburn (Jack Parkinson 83), Moses Ademola (Ryan Johnson 66), Charlie Sheringham, Loui Fazackerley.
Subs: Matthew McEntegart, Richard Stevens.

Goals: Charlie Sheringham 31 (pen), 70, Loui Fazackerley 52

Booked: Lee Blackburn 26, Sanchez Ming 55, Sonny Cobbs 61

Bromley: Gareth Williams, Mark Corneille, Ryan Dolby, Liam Norval, Jerome Sobers, Rob Gillman, Ashley-Paul Robinson, Billy Crook (Kirk Watts 63), Harry Harding (Adrian Stone 74), Nic McDonnell, Ryan Hall.
Subs: David Obaze, Theo Davis, Neale Manning.

Goal: Ryan Hall 63

Booked: Harry Harding 13, Ryan Dolby 55, Nic McDonnell 58, Kirk Watts 76

Attendance: 1,255
Referee: Mr Nigel Lugg (Chipstead, Surrey)
Assistants: Mr Graeme Ions (Maidstone, Kent) & Mr Keith Scudder (Gravesend, Kent)