Welling United 0-1 Weston-super-Mare - The desire and the work-rate today from the boys just wasn’t there, admits Welling United player-manager Jamie Coyle

Welling United 0 – 1 Weston-super-Mare
Location	Park View Road, Welling, Kent DA16 1SY
Kickoff	25/11/2017 15:00

WELLING UNITED  0-1  WESTON-SUPER-MARE
The Buildbase FA Trophy Third Qualifying Round
Saturday 25^th November 2017
Stephen McCartney reports from Park View Road

WELLING UNITED player-manager Jamie Coyle questioned the desire and work-rate from his team-mates as the club crashed out of The FA Trophy at the first hurdle.

 

The Wings have lost to Haringey Borough (The Emirates FA Cup); Charlton Athletic (Kent Reliance Senior Cup) and Corinthian-Casuals (London Senior Cup Sponsored by Coventry Scaffolding) at the first time of asking in Cup competitions this season.

Welling United went into this Third Qualifying Round tie sitting in seventh-place in the Vanarama National League South table with 31 points from 19 games, only four points adrift of leaders Dartford.

Weston-super-Mare arrived in Kent sitting in 13^th-place in the table with 27 points from 19 games and on a six-match unbeaten run, winning their last five games in all competitions.

Weston-super-Mare striker Gethyn Hill, 22, scored his eighth-goal of the season just 62 seconds into the second half, exploiting the arrival of Ian Gayle, who had only just come on to replace Jack Parkinson, who was sick during the half-time interval.

“Really disappointed obviously for the result but more importantly the performance,” revealed Coyle during the post-match press conference.

“There were some real poor individual performances, long way below par that we have been recently and it’s unacceptable!

“I thought although they had a lot of possession Weston, they didn’t really threaten us that much but in terms of our desire and work-rate out of possession I just don’t think it was anywhere near what we stipulate at the start of the year.  We won’t be accepting it moving forward!”

Welling United right-back Connor Dymond went close to scoring after only 24 seconds, cutting in from the right wing and past two opponents before having a go with a left-footed drive from 25-yards, which cleared Luke Purnell’s crossbar.

Coyle said: “He done well.  I thought he played well against Grubb, he’s obviously one of their best players, we knew he was a threat in terms of coming onto his right-foot and shooting and getting decent balls in the box.

“Connor done really well and he offered a little bit of a threat going forward in the first half especially, so it’s something that we need to get him doing a little bit more, releasing him and Archie (Johnson) the left-back.  We weren’t threatening enough today.

“We hit the post and crossbar, other than that, we never looked like scoring a goal, nor did they but at 1-0 I think it was enough for them because it never looked like we were going to be a threat in the final third.”

Welling United goalkeeper Ryan Sandford, 18, was making his debut, having signed on a one-months loan from Championship neighbours Millwall and he had a comfortable day at Park View Road.

“He done really well for a youngster,” said Coyle, who offered good protection in front of him.

“I think it’s his first ever loan move so I was expecting him to be a little bit nervous.  He’s come in, kicked really well, he was talking as well so to be honest with you we haven’t seen him make a save today.

“I know they’ve scored a goal, he couldn’t really do anything with that. We haven’t really seen him work.  I thought he kicked well and he spoke well for a youngster and I look forward to seeing him in the next couple of weeks.”

Weston-super-Mare left-back Danny Greenslade clipped a long diagonal out of defence, which was flicked on by Hill and came out to Jake Lee wide on the right and he cut in and his cross was easily gathered by Sandford at his near post.

Greenslade linked up with winger Dayle Grubb on the left and his low cross-come-shot was easily gathered by Sandford, getting down low to his left.

The first half failed to excite the 322 fans inside Park View Road on a chilly November afternoon.

The away side were spraying the ball along the deck all over the pitch without creating any real clear-cut chances, while Welling United were trying to catch their visitors’ on the break, lacking quality in the final third.

Weston-super-Mare, who won the corner count 8-2, swung in a free-kick from within the right-channel by Greenslade and Welling failed to clear their lines and Harvey Smith came up from the back to send his over-head kick past the right-hand post.

Greenslade managed to get a shot on target on the half-hour mark, hitting a speculative left-footed drive from 35-yards out on the right, which was meet and drink for the young pro goalkeeper.

Welling United winger Jeffery Monakana appeared to be the only player in a red-shirt that could produce something special as the home side were clearly missing Joe Healy, who sat out on a one-match ban after picking up five yellow cards.

Monakana won a foot race with Greenslade down the right, knocking the ball past him before whipping in a dipping cross from the wing, which Purnell was relieved to see dip over his right-shoulder and drop just over the crossbar for a goal-kick.

Welling United created the first half’s best opening in the 41^st minute.

Striker Bradley Goldberg played a one-two with disappointing winger Jack Jebb and brought the ball under control before stroking his right-footed drive across the keeper and agonisingly against the foot of the far post from 25-yards.

“It’s the first time we’ve actually had a shot on target in the first half so that’s disappointing,” admitted Coyle, who forgot that when shots hit the woodwork they are classed as being off-target.

“It’s just not the forward boys we’re talking about, we’re talking about the service into them as well and the crosses into the box. We didn’t look like a threat today and that was the most disappointing thing.

“We didn’t look like really throwing the kitchen sink at them, like we were going to score a goal.”

Coyle revealed he was happy with being on level terms at the break.

He said: “Today I was happy with regards to the scoreline. We’ve conceded five goals in the last two games (a 3-3 home draw to Concord Rangers, followed by a 2-2 draw at Hemel Hempstead Town last weekend) so it was important for us to be compact and be resilient and be hard to break down, which we were.

“They didn’t really create any chances in the first half so we got in at half-time and we didn’t change anything tactically but again just the desire and the work-rate today from some of the boys just wasn’t there.  There’s no excuses, there’s really no excuses, I’m really disappointed with some individual performances today.

“It’s a shame because if you do that, it makes it easy to make changes next week.

“I thought Joe Healy was a big miss for us today and Jack Parkinson was sick at half-time so he had to come off.  No excuses!  We’ve got enough quality in our squad to go out today and win the game and we didn’t show.”

Weston-super-Mare snatched their progress through to the First Round just 62 seconds into the second half.

Gayle slotted in beside Coyle at the heart of defence and this is the area where the Somerset side pounced.

Man-of-the-match Grubb, who is their leading scorer with 13 goals, cut in from the left wing towards the edge of the penalty area before threading the ball in behind Gayle and Hill drove his right-footed shot past the diving Sandford into the bottom left-hand corner from 15-yards.

“I think the build-up was more of a concern because it’s got passed three of our players on the touch-line and come to the edge of the box, which left us exposed so that’s the biggest thing, so that’s what started the issue with the goal,” said Coyle, who refused to blame Gayle.

“It’s tough to come on at half-time. I don’t think it was Gayle’s fault to be honest with you.  I think it’s too easy on the three boys around him.  Grubb just got inside, come to the edge of our box and it left us exposed so I wouldn’t blame Gayle.”

Naby Diallo’s 30-yard drive bounced off Hill on the edge of the Welling box and was gathered comfortably by Sandford and just 28 seconds later, Welling winger Eli Phipps’ angled drive from the right some 30-yards from goal flashed across the box and past the far post.

Welling United were to be denied an equaliser in the 61^st minute by a smart save from Purnell at his near post.

Goldberg shrugged off central defender Jason Pope before playing the ball into Phipps, who played in Goldberg, whose left-footed angled drive from a couple of yards inside the corner of the box was blocked by the keeper’s legs.

“Great chance! It’s just unfortunate at the moment they’re not landing for us,” added Coyle.

The impressive Grubb made a number of cutting runs in from the left and he won himself a free-kick, which he took himself, a right-footed effort from 27-yards which went down Sandford’s throat.

“He’s a good player, we know about his strengths, he’s one of the best players in this league.  I think he’s had opportunities of going on to higher levels but decided to stay,” said Coyle.

“We’ve seen the videos and we’ve played against them (winning 2-0 on 14 October) so we know the threat he does give.  We have to try to show him down the line on to his weaker foot but naturally a player of his quality he does come inside and any set-pieces he is a threat.”

Welling United almost snatched an equaliser in the final 18 minutes following an excellent cross from Monakana, who felt his left hamstring and was struggling to get back into defensive shape when Weston-super-Mare had possession.

The former Sutton United winger played a sublime deep 35-yard crossfield pass which was met by striker Tom Bradbrook’s looping header from 16-yards, which bounced down of the crossbar and was cleared.

“Tom Bradbrook hit the crossbar and everyone’s on their heels, there’s no-one actually reacting to the second phase,” said Coyle.

“That’s the thing today, we were very much reactive to everything and that’s the disappointing thing.

“As it’s going in you’re expecting people to follow it up and it’s a five-yard tap-in if anyone does. Everyone’s on their heels again and that summed up our performance today, it’s been really disappointing.”

Welling United changed their formation to 3-4-3 for the final 15 minutes, although Jake Reid steered his header wide after Greenslade swung in a free-kick from just outside the Welling penalty box.

Welling United’s second and final corner was swung in by Jebb but Bradbrook got underneath his header and steered his header over from 10-yards.

Greenslade swung in Weston-super-Mare’s seventh corner of the game from the right and Lee also failed to keep his header on target.

Grubb’s diagonal pass released Lee down the right and once cutting into the box drilled his right-footed shot across the keeper and past the far post.

Welling United were to be denied a second bite of the cherry when Purnell was called into action at the death.

Gayle hit a long ball over the top to put Goldberg through down the right channel, he turned his man just inside the box and stroked his right-footed angled drive towards goal, forcing Purnell to dive to his right to parry.

“It was a good ball from Gayle and Bradders has flicked it on and it’s just a shame that the keeper’s done well today.  He’s made two or three decent saves,” said Coyle.

“I thought in the grand scheme of things we actually should’ve done better and posed more of a threat in the final third but it’s the quality that’s let us down.  It was nowhere near good enough today and we got what we deserved, I think.”

When asked what was missing today, Coyle said: “Someone taking the game by the scruff of the neck and just literally a bit of tempo.  There wasn’t many people here, there wasn’t much of an atmosphere and games like that you’re expecting players to create their own tempo on the game.

“It was very lethargic today, it had a very lethargic feel to it, although they had more possession than us Weston, they didn’t really threaten or never looked like scoring a goal.  They got the one early after half-time and it was good enough to win the game.”

Welling United have lost out on £9,500 in prize money after being knocked out of both competitions at the first attempt.

“The players understood the importance of these competitions for the infrastructure of the club and it was made, the players are fully aware of the importance as well.

“It’s been two really poor performances in cup competitions this season, which I’m really disappointed bout and if it continues then we’ll have to make changes because it’s unacceptable the level of performances we got today.”

Coyle demands a positive reaction from his players when tenth-placed East Thurrock United visit Park View Road next Saturday.

“They’re a tough side.  We’ve got a real tough run of games now until Christmas and we need to perform better than we did today.  If we do what we did today, we’ll lose the game again. 

“We know they’ve got lot of threat with some real good front players, they pose a big threat going forward so we’ll have to turn up and be counted for next week and we need a reaction after the performance today.

“We want to try to stay there or their abouts. We need to start putting in  consistent performance run together individually as well as collectively.”

Welling United: Ryan Sandford, Connor Dymond, Archie Johnson (Christian Nanetti 75), Olu Durojaiye, Jamie Coyle, Jack Parkinson (Ian Gayle 46), Jeffery Monakana, Jack Jebb, Tom Bradbrook, Bradley Goldberg, Eli Phipps.
Subs: Sean Francis, Ben Jefford, Ollie Milton

Booked: Connor Dymond 52

Weston-super-Mare: Luke Purnell, Ashley Harper, Danny Greenslade, Jacob Cane, Jason Pope, Harvey Smith, Dayle Grubb, Naby Diallo, Gethyn Hill, Jake Reid, Jake Lee.
Subs: Jamie Laird, Ash Kington, Jarrard Welch, Tristian Plummer, Irnti Rapai

Goal: Gethyn Hill 47

Booked: Jacob Cane 85

Attendance: 322
Referee: Mr David Spain (Westfield, East Sussex)
Assistants: Mr Peter Cruise (Rochester) & Mr Ollie Butcher (Ashford)

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