Woking 0-1 Welling United - We made hard work of it but we're in next round, says Jamie Day

WOKING 0-1  WELLING UNITED
The FA Carlsberg Trophy Second Round
Saturday 15^th December 2012
Stephen McCartney reports from Kingfield Stadium

MATCH-WINNER Jamie Day says he is not even thinking about a Wembley Stadium final after guiding his Welling United side into the last sixteen of The FA Carlsberg Trophy with a victory over nine-man Woking.

The 33-year-old player-manager scored a sublime 25-yard free-kick to net the winner inside the opening seven minutes as the Kent club sealed their second victory over Blue Square Bet (Conference) Premier opposition in this season’s run to the Third Round.

Woking, who lifted the silverware in 1994, 1995 and 1997, were reduced to ten-men after striker Brett Williams was red-carded after eighteen minutes and Garry Hill’s side faced an uphill task when fellow attacker Bradley Bubb picked up a second yellow card nine minutes into the second half.

Day distance himself from guiding the club to a Wembley Final by saying, “It’s too far away from that yet but the boys’ have done really well in the Trophy.

“It’s a nice little sidetrack to have. We want to keep it going for as long as we possibly can so hopefully we can keep winning and put the performances in and see how far it takes us.”

Day added: “Against Newport we probably played a lot better than we did today but I felt we started the game well eleven-versus-eleven.  We more than matched them and we deserved to go into the lead.

“Obviously sending offs can change games and it can work either way.  I felt they put in a good shift.  We didn’t move the ball well enough and it ended up causing ourselves problems at times but I still felt comfortable and we had chances to kill it off and we didn’t (take them). 

“We made hard work of it – but we won and that’s all that matters and we’re in to the next round.”

Welling United, who went into this game sitting in second-place in the Blue Square Bet (Conference) South table and with six wins on the bounce, fully deserved their victory over a part-time Woking side that are in twelve place in the division above.

The Wings created the game’s first chance when Day swung in a free-kick with his right-foot into the Woking box and central defender Anthony Acheampong sent his towering header across goal and wide.

But Welling United stunned Woking’s lowest crowd of the season into silence when Day stepped up to score his first goal of the season.

Referee John Hopkins brought play back after Jake Gallagher was fouled and Day stepped up and curled a right-footed free-kick over the wall and past the diving Aaron Howe’s outstretched left arm to find the right-hand corner of the Woking net.

“I know Woking won’t be pleased but I thought the referee done well today,” said Day.

“I thought we played quite well first half eleven-versus-eleven and we go one up and I thought we was on top.

“Credit to the ref because he played advantaged at the right time and pulled it back when we didn’t have it and we’re pleased to take advantage of that.

“It was a good area where the ball was, probably the first one I’ve had in a good area this year so I had to make the most of it.”

Surprisingly it was the central midfielder’s first goal of the season and Day admitted: “You have to set a little target, everyone does it, how many goals you want to get and one at this stage is not good enough from my point of view so hopefully that will improve.

“I think the position I play you’ve got to look between six to eight goals. I don’t think I’ve reached that for the last ten years’ but you’ve got to set targets and hopefully I can score a few more between now and the end of the season.”

Welling United should have doubled their lead when Day swung in a precise corner in from the right with his right-boot but striker Kurtis Guthrie planted his near post free header agonisingly over from inside the six-yard box.

Day said: “Kurtis had a header. If you go 2-0 up then with ten or nine men then hopefully the game is over but we didn’t take our chances, which is the disappointing thing we need to work on but obviously nice to win 1-0.”

Welling United were playing well and they were given a boost when Woking were reduced to ten-men after Williams’ slid in to make contact with Kiernan Hughes-Mason close to the halfway line. 

Essex-based referee Mr Hopkins brandished the striker a red-card and Hughes-Mason continued to cause problems for the rest of the game following treatment.  Four Woking players picked up yellow cards for fouls on the 21-year-old former Millwall youngster.

“It’s one of them,” said Day, “We’ve had players’ sent off for it like that during the course of the season so if you’re looking for consistency then he deserves to be sent off. 

“We didn’t capitalise as well as we should have done with ten-men but for me it works both ways.”

Woking took 25 minutes to create their first goalscoring chance when Bubb released winger Kevin Betsy down the left channel and after cutting in he cracked a left-footed angled drive from 15-yards which forced visiting keeper Sam Mott into making a diving save to his left to block.

Welling United were desperately unlucky not to double their lead in the 28^th minute.

Joe Healy cushioned his header into Ross Lafayette’s feet and the 11-goal striker unleashed a right-footed drive from 20-yards, which was at a nice height for Woking keeper Howe to tip the ball over his crossbar.

Day swung in another precise corner, this time from the left, and found the unmarked Ben Martin, who looped his header agonisingly off the underside of the crossbar and Mark Ricketts – who helped Ebbsfleet United beat Torquay United in the 2008 Wembley Final – headed the ball off the line from underneath the crossbar.

Good link up play by Healy and Lafayette created a chance for Hughes-Mason, who cut in from the right and curled a left-footed angled shot from inside the box, which screamed across Howe and curled past the far post.

Woking called Mott into making a comfortable save inside injury time.  Billy Knott launched a throw into the box, which was flicked on by Adam Doyle at the near post and Betsy headed straight at Mott, who caught the ball above his head.

Woking didn’t get much change out of Welling’s solid defensive partnership of Martin and Acheampong, but when Martin was forced off through injury, Fraser Franks came off the bench to continue to frustrate Woking after a lung injury picked up during their 2-0 home win over Woking’s rivals, Newport County, in the last round.

Day said: “Ben stretched his knee just before half-time. Luckily we had Fraser back who done well when he came on so it was nice to give him some game time as well.”

Day revealed why six-goal striker Jon Main wasn’t involved today.

“Mainey was ill so we didn’t want anyone else catching it so it was best for him to stay away so hopefully he’ll be back for next week.

“JT’s (Jamie Turner’s) missus has gone into labour this morning so hopefully they’ve had a little baby by now.”

Day praised Hughes-Mason for drawing a foul from Budd as the Welling United attacker attempted to break away from close to the halfway line. 

Budd was punished by the referee for his earlier stupidity, kicking the ball into the advertising boards nine minutes before the break, and Woking were down to nine men in the 54^th minute as Budd received his second yellow card (followed by a red).

Day said:  “Kiernan’s work-rate has been very consistent over the last six or seven weeks which is a credit to him.  He’s been scoring goals as well. He’s got pace and he can be difficult to play against.”

Away fans would have expected Welling to put Woking on the back foot when Woking lost their second man but Day admitted: “It should be easier but if you don’t do the right things and we don’t pass forward and we keep passing sideways and backwards and put ourselves under pressure then that’s going to happen whether you’re playing against nine, ten or eleven so we’re a little bit disappointed.

“We’ve had enough chances, even in the second half to kill the game off and that’s the disappointing thing as well.  We should have done it with enough time to go and not put ourselves under pressure near the end.”

Woking called Mott into making a comfortable save when Adam Newton and Betsy combined down the right and the ball was played inside to Ricketts, who shrugged off the referee before clipping a left-footed shot from 30-yards, which was caught by the former Thamesmead Town keeper.

Woking’s best chance to claw themselves back in to the game came halfway through the second half when left-back Nutter whipped in a free-kick into the Welling penalty area and Joe McNerney came up from the back and headed the ball down and Mott was able to gather to his left.

Day said: “I think the back five have done really well over the last eight weeks so we’ve got to keep it going.

“If you keep clean sheets we know that we can score goals as well so credit to them, but we’re only halfway through the season so we need to get a lot more.

“If they’ve got nine players’ we should restrict them to limited opportunities. When Motty was called upon from crosses or corners he dealt with it. That’s why we brought him in, in the summer. He’s got potential and he’s done well this season.”

The introduction of former Welling United frontman Loick Pires seemed to give a poor Woking performance a kiss of life, giving the now one-man Woking front line more height.

Pires was fouled on the edge of the box and McNerney stepped up and sent his right-footed free-kick over Mott’s crossbar from 20-yards.

Welling United ventured further forward towards the end of the game and left-back Jack Obersteller raced forward before unleashing a left-footed drive, which was beaten out by Howe at the near post with ten minutes left.

Right-back Loui Fazakerley then drilled a low shot harmlessly wide but Welling drew another fine save out of the Woking keeper in the last minute.

Healy played the ball inside to substitute Theo Fairweather-Johnson, who laid the ball off to Jake Gallagher, who was given time and space to drill a right-footed shot, which was blocked by the keeper’s legs.

Critics will say Welling United only won this game because Woking had two players’ sent-off – but the proof is in the pudding. Kingfield Stadium was near to silence throughout this game, which proves the home faithful were disappointed with their side’s flat performance.

Day said: “Woking will be disappointed that they’ve had two men sent off and it’s an uphill battle for them but I felt at times we passed the ball quite well.

“We know we’re a good team.  There’s a few things that we need to work on to take into Saturday’s game (at home to Tonbridge Angels) but pleased with the boys’ effort and work rate and pleased to get a win.

“Woking were the best team in the league last year by a mile and deservedly won it. We knew it was going to be tough today.  It was probably made easier with people getting sent off but I still felt for that 20 minutes when we had eleven-versus-eleven we was the team that was on top and driving forward so that was a positive and I’m pleased that we’ve won.”

Wins over Cray Wanderers (1-0), Newport County (2-0) and Woking have banked the club £15,000 in FA Trophy prize money.

Welling United reached the quarter-finals as recently as season 2006-2007, but their progress was ended by Grays Athletic, who came away from Park View Road with a 4-1 win.

The Wings also banked a further £12,000 following FA Cup wins over Concord Rangers and Thurrock when they reached the fourth qualifying round before losing at home to Bishop’s Stortford.

“The club have done well out of the Trophy so we’ve generated some money and we’ve had some money out of the Cup run as well so it’s looking good and we need to keep that going.”

It was a good day for Kent sides in the FA Trophy today.  Welling’s Blue Square Bet South rivals Bromley defeated full-time Blue Square Bet Premier side Kidderminster Harriers at Hayes Lane, courtesy of Danny Waldren’s penalty and a dramatic late penalty save from keeper Joe Welch, to reach the last sixteen  for the first time in the club’s history.

Dartford also make it through, but they defeated Tonbridge Angels 3-0 at Princes Park.

Woking: Aaron Howe, Adam Newton, Joe McNerney, Adam Doyle (Brett Johnson 66), John Nutter (Jack Parkinson 80), Kevin Betsy, Billy Knott, Mark Ricketts, Dean Sinclair (Loick Pires 57), Brett Williams, Bradley Bubb.
Subs: Sam Beasant, Gavin McCallum

Booked: Bradley Bubb 36, Adam Newton 47, Kevin Betsy 67, Billy Knott 90

Sent off: Brett Williams 18, Bradley Bubb 54

Welling United: Sam Mott, Loui Fazakerley, Jack Obersteller, Jamie Day, Ben Martin (Fraser Franks 49), Anthony Acheampong, Kiernan Hughes-Mason, Jake Gallagher, Kurtis Guthrie (Theo Fairweather-Johnson 68), Ross Lafayette, Joe Healy.
Subs: Scott Kinch, Lee Clarke, Ryan Flack

Goal: Jamie Day 7

Booked: Jamie Day 73

Attendance: 826
Referee: Mr John Hopkins (Wickford, Essex)
Assistants: Mr Lee Forrester (Luton, Bedfordshire) & Mr Nolan Wilde (Maidstone)
Fourth Official: Mr Adam Bayliss (Oxford, Oxfordshire)