Kentish Football 
Holmesdale 0-3 Welling United - Day set for budget talks with chairman on Friday
Tuesday 03rd August 2010
HOLMESDALE 0-3 WELLING UNITED
Tuesday 3rd August 2010
Pre-Season Friendly
Stephen McCartney reports from Oakley Road
WELLING UNITED player-manager Jamie Day says he will sit down with his chairman on Friday to discuss his budget for the coming season.
The Wings made hard work to defeat a resilient amateur Holmesdale side in their penultimate pre-season friendly at Oakley Road tonight.
Tommy Whitnell’s strike ensured the Blue Square Bet South side went in at the break a goal up, although his strike partner Loick Pires had a couple of goals ruled out for offside.
But goals from Daryl Robson (who had earlier had one ruled out for offside) and Loui Fazakerley inside the final thirteen minutes was harsh on Kent League Holmesdale, who open their campaign with a home clash against Erith Town on Saturday.
Day, who got through a 90 minute shift, told www.kentishfootball.co.uk afterwards that he could be losing some of the trialists that played tonight.
“I’m in with the chairman on Friday to go over the final budget and then we’ll whittle it down to what amount we’ve got,” said the midfield playmaker.
“We’ll have a squad by Fright night or the weekend to go to Chatham (for our final friendly on Saturday) and that squad will be the one we’ll go into the season with.
“To be fair to the players that played tonight, we have explained this to them and all of them wanted to stay on and see if they can take the opportunity at the club if it came along.
“Fair play to them, they’ve enjoyed it with us and hopefully we can take them but if we can’t I don’t think they’ll have a problem in getting a club.”
Day gave goalkeeper Jack Giddens 90 minutes tonight, although it seems likely that Charlie Mitten (who is still on holiday) has fought off competition to keep the number one jersey.
“He’s got released by Leyton Orient and I know he’s been trialing with Barnet and I don’t think it’s quite worked out,” explained Day.
“Jack’s trained a couple of times to keep fit so we used him tonight but again if I could have two goalkeeper’s in our squad, but I’d rather have an extra (outfield) player to make up the 17 or 18 so it doesn’t look as though we’ll be taking him, but hopefully he’ll get a League club and start the season there.”
Giddens enjoyed one of his quieter nights, as Holmesdale rarely threatened the Welling goal throughout the entire 90 minutes.
Holmesdale goalkeeper Alfie Brincatt was called into action early on when Pires’ diagonal pass picked out winger Ben Billings and his first time cross from the left was flicked away by the Holmesdale keeper, who was able to pick up the ball after the ball bounced off Lee Clarke.
Another Billings’ cross was met by a thumping header from former Leyton Orient attacker Pires, but his 12th minute effort was ruled out for offside.
Dominant Welling finally broke the deadlock after 26 minutes when a flicked pass from Joe Healy was drilled past Brincatt by Tommy Whitnell, whose angled low shot gave the keeper no chance.
Pires had a second effort ruled out for offside seven minutes later, following an low centre from Billings.
Holmesdale have constructed a scaffold roofed cover behind one of their goals this summer and following Day’s chipped diagonal cross towards the far post, Whitnell smashed his shot over the top of the near post and onto the shelter, just missing the top of the near post.
The same two players combined again, but this time Whitnell’s low shot was comfortably saved by Brincatt, before Lee Clarke smashed a low shot clipped the foot of the near post.
Holmesdale’s first chance on goal arrived after 40 minutes, hitting Welling on the break.
Ricky Spain played the ball from his position on the right-hand side of midfield to striker Badar Mohamed, who held the ball up, before finding Spain on the edge of the penalty area, but his ambitious right-footed chip looped into Gidden’s arms.
Mohamed then chanced his luck with an angled shot, which arrowed over the top of the far post, in what was a good spell from the hosts.
Welling made a trio of changes at the break, and on the hour-mark brought on four defenders who are expected to open their league campaign.
Holmesdale substitute goalkeeper, Michael Holder, meanwhile, should have been beaten in the 52nd minute when Loui Fazakerley whipped in a low centre from the right but the ball bounced off substitute Andy Pugh and looped over the crossbar.
Former Gillingham striker Pugh missed a gilt-edged chance just past the hour mark when following a slick three-man move he fired wide when he only had stocky Holder to beat.
Holder then made a fine block, only to be beaten by Robson after 68 minutes, but the Wings had their third goal chalked off for offside.
The Bromley based side’s best chance arrived in the 73rd minute when substitute Jack Highwood swept a 25-yard shot agonisingly past the foot of the near post.
But Mohammed squandered an excellent chance to score a deserved consolation when Chris Steadman’s ball over the top of the defence was latched onto by the former Sevenoaks Town striker, who rounded the keeper, but a poor touch inside the penalty area ensured the chance was gone.
Holmesdale were made to pay for that glaring miss, as Welling doubled their lead after 77 minutes.
Pugh was released in behind the home side’s defence by Whitnell and he drove a low shot across Holder, which bounced off the foot of the far post and Robson steered the ball into the back of the net from two-yards out.
Fazakerley rounded off the win, scoring the best goal of the game, with what was literally was the last kick-off the game.
The winger picked the ball up outside the penalty area and turned and cracked a stunning right-footed drive, which curled into the top far corner, giving Holder no chance.
But Holmesdale can be proud of their battling performance against a side that play three league’s higher than they do.
Ross Mitchell, their goalkeeper coach told www.kentishfootball.co.uk: “Three-nil weren’t bad and we set out to give ourselves a tough friendly and a good work-out.
“I think we probably could’ve done better on one or two goals, but Gary (Davies) said there were a lot of plusses for us and we’re really pleased with the way things have gone.
“I think the boys have worked really hard tonight. It’s obviously our final pre-season game and all the lads have done well so it’s now sort of coming all together.”
When asked whether fitness allowed Welling to snatch two late goals, Mitchell replied, “I don’t think so! We made a few substitutions and the shape of the team changed. I think our fitness was at a good level. We’ve worked hard all pre-season so yes, I think our fitness was ok.”
The coach, who doubles up as club secretary added: “I think everyone stood out. I can’t single out any player. The back four worked hard, they were up against some good strikers. I think our talking was good and I think as a team we worked hard.”
Mitchell invites the Wings to return to Oakley Road next summer.
He said: “I want to say thank you to Welling and Jamie Day and Frosty (Dean Frost) for coming down to play us and we wish them good luck for the season.
“It was a good run-out, all the lads enjoyed it and I hope Welling have enjoyed it and hopefully they can come back next year or we can come to them and do the same.”
Day admitted this was a good work-out ahead of their final warm-up away to Chatham on Saturday.
“I think the pitch was quite long, it didn’t help us with passing, but at times I thought we played quite well,” he said.
“We got caught up a little bit in playing too much and a little bit disappointed with the chance that we gave away at the end. That seems to be happening quite a bit so that’s something we’ve got to take care off and put that to bed before the start of the season.”
The Wings were due to travel to Ashford Town tonight, but due to their problems the match was cancelled, so Day accepted Gary Davies’ invite to play his side.
“They had a go and that’s what we want,” said Day. “We could’ve trained tonight but we decided to come here and play. It’s still about fitness as well at this stage of pre-season and it was a good work-out.”
Welling have now scored 19 goals in their 8 pre-season games, but tonight was their first clean sheet.
“We want to score goals, that wins games, but so do clean sheets, so it’s nice to keep a clean sheet,” he said.
“It’s nice to get three goals as well. It could’ve been more like you said so overall we’re pleased. It’s just a few little things that we’ve got to iron out before the fourteenth."
Holmesdale: Alfie Brincatt (Michael Holder 46), Chris Hatt, Billy Warner, Chris Steadman (Dean Allard 87), Lindsay Prescott-Kerr, Ricky Hardy (Casey Jones 83), Ricky Spain (Jack Highwood 52), Huseyin Budak (Robbie Bryant 73), Badar Mohamed, John Gallagher, Ben Chick.
Sub: Justin Fevrier.
Welling United: Jack Giddens, Femi Omogbehin (Jamie Coyle 60), Jordan Johnson (Jack Obersteller 60), Jamie Day, Andy Sambrook (Jack Parkinson 60), Anthony Achempong (Graeme Andrews 60), Joe Healy, Lee Clarke (Daryl Robson 46), Tommy Whitnell, Loick Pires (Andy Pugh 46), Ben Billings (Loui Fazakerley 46).
Sub: Luis Cumbers.
Goals: Tommy Whitnell 26, Daryl Robson 77, Loui Fazakerley 90
Attendance: 85
Referee: Mr Val Anelwe (Bromley)
Assistants: Mr Peter Forshaw (New Eltham) & Mr Tadeuz Kluszcynki (Bexleyheath)
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