Kentish Football 
Luton Town 0-0 Welling United - If it weren't for the fans the club wouldn't be here - Jamie Day
Sunday 12th December 2010
LUTON TOWN 0-0 WELLING UNITED
FA Carlsberg Trophy First Round
Sunday 12th December 2010
Stephen McCartney reports from Kenilworth Road
WELLING UNITED’S BRAVEHEARTS repaid the faith shown by their lifesaving supporters by earning the Kent club a lucrative FA Carlsberg Trophy First Round replay at Park View Road on Tuesday night.
HEROIC supporters raised just over £60,000 in loans, donations and advanced season ticket sales n just under two weeks so the club can hand over their overdue tax bill and avoid a winding-up petition at The High Court in central London this coming Wednesday.
The target was reached late on Friday afternoon and the news that the club will survive certainly galvanised the Welling team and their supporters at a sparse Kenilworth Road.
As promised, Hatters boss Richard Money made NINE changes from the side that were defeated by League One high-flyers Charlton Athletic in front of 5,914 fans last Thursday night, as only goalkeeper Mark Tyler and Jake Howells started today.
The crowd of just 1,639 was Luton’s lowest crowd for fourteen years, when 1,594 witnessed an Auto Windscreens Shield win over Leyton Orient back in December 1996.
The third-placed Blue Square Bet Premier giants - FA Trophy favourites - were camped in the Welling half for most of the game - but wasteful finishing in front of goal - striker Taiwo Atieno being their biggest culprit - an offside flag, a post and two world-class saves from visiting keeper Gareth Stewart ensured both clubs will go into the velvet bag for tomorrow’s Second Round draw.
Welling United may have rode their luck on occasion, but they fully deserved a second bite of the cherry and player-manager Jamie Day and Joe Healy are likely to be recalled for the replay after serving their one-match ban today.
Club owner Barrie Hobbins paid tribute to the supporters that saved the club from going bust.
“The supporters have responded absolutely magnificently,” to do it (in seven days) is incredible,” Mr Hobbins told www.kentishfootball.co.uk.
“It’s a contribution of donations, loans, long-term season tickets, whatever people would prefer but overall the situation is they’ve reached the target and we couldn’t ask for more. However they did it, I’m grateful to every single one of them.
“I must admit when we got the second adjournment of fourteen days, I knew it would be difficult, although we did have a Plan B that could have come into play, but we did have someone else on the outside that may have helped - but maybe wouldn’t have been the answer, so what happened is far, far better and it’s been an effort I couldn’t have expected at the time and it has happened so I’m grateful to everyone concerned.”
Despite averaging around the six-thousand mark for Blue Square Bet Premier games, Luton Town supporters were clearly not up for this match as only 1,460 of them bothered to turn up - and the ones that did turn up were gob smacked with the amount of chances their players squandered.
The official away contingent was confirmed at 179 - and they gave their side excellent support on this great occasion, which could have so easily had been the club’s last ever game, wiping out 47 years of history.
But give the home club credit - their public address announcer urged Luton fans to applaud the fans that saved Welling United from going bust, and they responded by taking to their feet to give the Wings fans the ovation they deserved, myself included. “From a club that’s been there!” blasted the announcer.
There was a sense of unity as the players walked out of the players tunnel and as fans prevented their club dying - the players in red prevented their FA Carlsberg Trophy campaign dying too.
Luton - wearing a bright orange kit - the colours of their sponsors Easyjet - missed their first chance inside the fifth minute when left-back Howells’ whipped in a cross and Atieno’s half-volley looped over when well placed.
Alex Lacy then found the striker at the far post with a free-kick, but his looping header was comfortably plucked out of the air by the Welling keeper.
But after those early chances inside the opening ten minutes, Welling closed up shop and defended their goal resiliently, although Luton’s shooting later was woeful.
An example of this, in the 33rd minute, was when the unmarked Godfrey Poku blasted Alex Lawless’s right-wing cut-back corner high over the bar, just missing the scoreboard on the stand roof!
Welling United’s one and only chance arrived just three minutes later, after Loui Fazakerley won his side a free-kick.
He got up and cracked a right-footed curling free-kick, on the angle from 35-yards, and Tyler pulled off a fine save by tipping the ball around his post.
Welling’s management team of Day, Barry Ashby and Dean Frost, highlighted their talents by switching their fluid formations on at least three occasions, although Day was disappointed that his side didn’t test Tyler more.
Welling went in at the break on level terms, but they were camped inside the own half for most of the second half.
Luton almost broke the stalemate, courtesy of returning Welling defender Andy Sambrook, within the first minute of the second half.
Lawless whipped in a cross from the left and Sambrook’s bullet diving header towards his own goal, was expertly tipped over by the agile Welling keeper.
After Fazkerley’s cross was cut out by the Luton keeper, the home side attacked immediately and within fourteen seconds Dan Walker cut in from the right and sent a low left-footed drive from 20-yards, which flashed just past the foot of the post.
Welling’s second defensive mistake thankfully went unpunished in the 65th minute when defender Graeme Andrews’ back-pass sold Stewart short, but thankfully Atieno dragged his shot wide of the right-hand post when he only had the keeper to beat.
Atieno then cut in and turned inside the Welling penalty area before blasting a low shot past the near post - but he received more flack from the home fans when he nodded Howell’s left-wing cross wide after being left unmarked at the near post.
Luton finally upped the tempo for the last ten minutes and really should have progressed with a couple of efforts, as Welling were holding on.
The only time that Stewart was breached was in the 81st minute - but an offside flag saved Welling.
Howell whipped in a cross from the left and found Dan Walker at the far post and his right-footed hooked volley screamed past the stranded keeper into the far corner.
Substitute JJ O’Donnell almost deservedly won it for Luton, smashing a goal bound low left-footed drive from 20-yards, which was excellently tipped onto the foot of the post by the diving Welling keeper.
After what the club has been through during the past couple of weeks, their heroic fans - and players - deserved a slice of luck.
Mr Hobbins was a proud man at the final whistle, as were all Welling fans as their heroic players went up towards their excellent fans at the away end to show their appreciation.
“The players have covered themselves in glory,” he said. “We look forward to Tuesday night and fingers crossed, but it’s been an enjoyable day, I’m very satisfied, delighted and you’ll probably ask me about the financial return form it. Yes, obviously it’s like a dream come true for us, win, lose or draw Tuesday.”
He added: “I didn’t come here expecting anything to be truthful with you. We rode our luck at times. We didn’t do too badly overall. To get them back to Park View Road, where I hope for a fair four-figure crowd Tuesday night will be good for everyone concerned after all the hassle we had in the last three months.“
Mr Hobbins added: “I’m just pleased that we’ve got a chance again on Tuesday in front of our own supporters and we’re not out of the Cup yet.
“A win on Tuesday night? It’ll be nice. It will be a nice Christmas present!”
Wings player-manager, Jamie Day, meanwhile, told www.kentishfootball.co.uk how delighted he was with his players and for everybody at the club.
“The boys done really well,” he said. “We rode our luck a few times in the second half but they dug in really well and they worked hard and I think probably got just what we deserved.
“I’m full of praise for them, I thought they were first class. Just maybe we could have been a little bit more positive going forward, get a couple of more shots on goal, but I’m pleased, I’m delighted for the club as well.”
Day added: “The players responded to what was needed. The club has been in turmoil but the boys have done well and the chairman’s pleased we’ve managed to get a draw and play them again on Tuesday.”
Speaking about his side’s resilience, Day said: “We set up 4-3-3. We wanted to attack them and have a go. I think it might have changed at times with five at the back. We were under the cosh a little bit at times but we’d like to have won - we didn’t come for a draw but we’d take it.
“Gareth (Stewart) pulled off two fantastic saves, one from Sammy and one on the post. I was thinking if we can just hold out, I was looking at the clock, but again they’ve dug in and done exceptionally well.”
If Luton boss Money keeps faith with the same team, Welling United will fancy their chances at Park View Road on Tuesday night.
“We’ll have a go again, we want to get through to the next round. The big game, or the so called big game was today. Now we’ve got them back to our ground, we’ve got to go out there and hopefully try and win the tie at home.”
Day praised Luton Town for their pre-match professionalism - and the fans that kept his club in business.
“I think we should show appreciation to Luton because all around the ground they stood up and they were clapping what our fans have achieved as well.”
Day added: “We spoke before hand, we wrote on the board that we owe them (our fans) one something as well because if it weren’t for them the club wouldn’t be here and today they were first class again.
“Every away game they’re decent, probably need the same vocal support at home. I think that will help us out as well but there must have been 200 fans in. You can’t expect no more than that!”
Mr Hobbins paid tribute to his manager, adding, “Under the circumstances, it’s a miracle what he’s achieved.”
Luton Town: Mark Tyler, Ed Asafu-Adjaye, Jake Howells, Godfrey Poku, Craig Hinton, Alex Lacey, Alex Lawless, Pavel Besta (JJ O‘Donnell 60), Jason Walker, Taiwo Atieno, Dan Walker.
Subs: Dan Gleeson, Matthew Barnes-Homer, Claude Gnakpa, Danny Crow.
Booked: Jason Walker 80, Godfrey Poku 90
Welling United: Gareth Stewart, Jamie Coyle, Jack Obersteller, Andy Sambrook, Graeme Andrews, Jack Parkinson, Loui Fazakerley, Lee Clarke, Luis Cumbers, Andy Pugh (Jordan Johnson 80), Loick Pires.
Subs: Osa Obamwonyi, Leon Farrell, Ryan Wall, Anthony Acheampong.
Booked: Loui Fazakerley 81, Luis Cumbers 90
Attendance: 1,639 (179 Welling supporters)
Referee: Mr A Davis
Assistants: Mr K Howick & Mr B Knight
Fourth Official: Mr S Davidson
Red Dragon I.T. Ltd