Bromley 1-3 Welling United - Wings win derby with second half comeback

The Bromley boss, who is away for Christmas, will find little festive cheer when he gets the reports of this Kent derby from his number two Murray Jones.

It really was a Hayes Lane horror show for the home side as despite leading at the break they succumbed to a second half come back from the Wings, which temporarily at least (because of the early kick-off), lifts Andy Ford’s side to third in the Blue Square South table.

And given some of the football that the Wings displayed this afternoon, you have to say that exciting times lay ahead at Park View Road.

The game itself in the opening half was a strange affair, which struggled really to take off, with little to warm the crowd in the opening 15 minutes.

Charlie Sheringham should have put the Wings in front after great play from Moses Ademola, yet somehow the son of former England international Teddy, was denied from six-yards by Bromley goalkeeper Gareth Williams, when it looked easier to score.

Ten minutes later, Sheringham returned the compliment to his strike partner, released Ademola in the inside right channel, but the youngster, on loan from Brentford, dragged his shot wide.

Bromley took the lead, totally against the run of play, nine minutes before half-time.

The home side had struggled to get a foothold in the game and had created little before Warren McBean powered home a header from Ashley-Paul Robinson’s cross after the winger sprinted free down the right, to score his 12^th goal of the season.

Ahead at the break then, you wondered if Bromley would go out to seal victory and within seconds of the restart, Luke I’Anson saw a shot from the edge of the box seemingly loop over Welling goalkeeper Clark Masters, but somehow the back-peddling keeper just got his fimgertips to the ball to flick the ball over for a corner.

Welling responded as a Lee Protheroe free-kick was nodded just too far in front of a lunging Ademola, whilst at the other end, Theo Davis completely missed the ball as a corner flew across the Wings boss.

The Bromley number eleven only had to apply any sort of touch to double the advantage, yet held his head in his hands as the ball across the face of goal.

From that moment, you felt the Wings had the upper hand, yet felt it perhaps wasn’t their day as on 68 minutes a Proterhoe free-kick, from the edge of the box, which seemed destined for the net, ballooned high into the air off a defender and seemed to be looping into the Bromley goal but for skipper Rob Gillman to clear the danger for the home side.

Nic McDonnel then had a header for Bromley brilliantly saved by Masters before Welling finally got their equaliser - and what a stunning strike it was.

Ademola and the impressive Sanchez Ming exchanged passes before the Ademola held off three challenges before the ball rebounded to Sheringham who curled an absolute beauty beyond Williams and into the top corner for his 13^th goal of the season - and one that dad Teddy would surely have been proud off during his glittering career.

The Wings roared forward again and took the lead on 75 minutes when central defender Tony Sinclair powered home a header from Lee Blackburn’s free-kick to give the visitors a deserved lead.

A deserved lead that became three deserved points five minutes later as Welling completed the comeback (three goals in nine minutes) as man-of-the-match Ademola was left completely unmarked to head home a left-wing corner.

There can be little doubt that if the Wings manage to keep hold of Sheringham and Ademola they have a strike force that will be feared in Blue Square South.

For Bromley, however, alarm bells must now be ringing as this defeat now means that the Lillywhites have leaked ten goals in their last four league games - and that includes a clean sheet in a 2-0 win over struggling Fisher Athletic.

Without doubt the Christmas plaudits go to Andy Ford and Welling United for this victory, who I wonder will begin 2009 with the Kent bragging rights after the return fixture at Park View Road on New Years Day.

Bromley: Gareth Williams, Liam Norval, Ryan Dolby, Luke I’Anson, Jerome Sobers, Rob Gillman, Ashley-Paul Robinson, (Harry Harding 80), Ryan Hall, Warren McBean, Nic McDonnell, Theo Davis (Kirk Watts 75).
Subs: Billy Crook, Adrian Stone, David Obaze.

Goal: Warren McBean 36

Booked: Ryan Dolby 45, Luke I’Anson 57, Ryan Hall 66, Rob Gilman 74

Welling United: Clark Masters, Lee Protheroe, Sonny Cobbs, Rob Quinn (Jack Parkinson 84), Graeme Andrews, Tony Sinclair, Sanchez Ming, Lee Blackburn, Moses Ademola (Delando Smith 90), Charlie Sheringham, Loui Fazackerley.
Subs: Dorian Smith, Richard Stevens, Matthew McEntegart.

Goals: Charlie Sherringham 72, Tony Sinclair 75, Moses Ademola 80

Booked: Rob Quinn 59, Sonny Cobbs 73

Attendance:   739
Referee: Mr Stephen Child (Beckenham)
Assistants: Mr Daniel Wyatt (Orpington) & Mr Ben Wright (London SE17)