Welling United 2-1 Concord Rangers - Concord made it difficult for us, admits Barry Ashby

WELLING UNITED  2-1  CONCORD RANGERS
The FA Cup with Budweiser Second Qualifying Round Replay
Wednesday 26th September 2012
Stephen McCartney reports from Park View Road

WELLING UNITED assistant manager Barry Ashby admits his side made hard work of knocking Ryman Premier League strugglers Concord Rangers out of The FA Cup at the second attempt.



The third-placed Blue Square Bet (Conference) South hosts had to battle to a 2-1 victory over the Essex side, who went into this Second Qualifying Round replay sitting in the bottom four.

But Welling United had to play with ten-men for 66 minutes after they lost player-manager Jamie Day to a straight red-card for a sliding two-footed tackle before they took the lead through Steve King’s own-goal in the 28^th minute.

Welling United’s resilience was broken with 69 minutes on the clock when striker Tony Stokes headed home his seventh goal of the season from close range, but Welling United booked a home tie against Ryman Premier League basement side Thurrock on 6 October after Joe Healy squeezed home a decisive penalty just six minutes later, in front of the Wings' lowest crowd of the season.

Ashby, 41, who faced the local media after the game, admitted the Kent side had to battle for the £4,500 in prize money and a place in the penultimate qualifying round of The FA Cup.

“I think we made a little bit too much hard work of it to be honest, but we got through to the next round and that’s the most important thing,” said Ashby.

“We weren’t at our best tonight.  Concord made it very difficult for us. The sending-off didn’t help obviously but I think you’ve got to give Concord some credit because they came here and they gave it a right go.

“Whatever League these teams are in, they’re not going to come here and lie down and go ‘ok then beat us, there you go!’.  They want to go into the next round.  They’re looking at a nice tie looking at a local bit of a derby and things like that and they’re going to make it tough for us. They’ve got some good players in their team so you give them due respect because they’ve come and they have played well. 

“I don’t think we’ve played to our normal standard, which hasn’t helped over 90 minutes, but again you have to give teams credit. They’ve come here and they have made it difficult for us.”

Concord Rangers - who held Welling United to a 1-1 draw at Thames Road at the weekend – made their intentions known early as they attacked down the left and full-back Danny Glozier whipped in a cross and Welling keeper Jamie Turner, who was making only his second appearance of the season, collected the ball just before Harry Elmes could steer the ball into the net inside the opening four minutes.

Welling United’s opening chance arrived in the 14^th minute when Harry Baker’s left-footed angled drive from a tight angle was parried away by visiting keeper Michael Jordan, who swiftly got down low to his right to block.

Fraser Franks – who was immense beside Ben Martin at the heart of the Welling defence – clipped a ball from just inside the Concord half into the penalty area and Ross Lafayette cushioned his header across the penalty area for Healy to send an overhead kick just wide of the near post from ten-yards.

But Welling United were reduced to ten-men when Day was shown a straight red card by card happy referee Nigel Lugg for his sliding two-footed tackle which left Glozier in agony.

Ashby said: “It’s not a sending off for me. He hasn’t left the ground. Yes, there’s maybe two feet involved but you can’t tackle with one foot without the other foot being around so for me it’s not a sending off!

“But you don’t know where the referee is.  You don’t see what angle he’s got. He’s made the decision and you’ve just got to take it on the chin.

“It made it hard work for us and it made it hard work for the boys but for me it’s not a sending off!  Yes, maybe a yellow because intent with the power of the tackle but for me not a sending off!

“I thought it was more of a booking but the referee might have a different angle. The referee has to make a decision, I know it’s tough, they have two or three seconds to make that decision and you’ve got to respect that.”

When asked how his boss was feeling after being sent-off, Ashby replied, “He’s our gaffer. He doesn’t want anyone to get sent off. When it’s him he takes it a little bit personal himself that he’s let the boys down.”

But Welling United immediately recovered from losing their inspirational manager because they received a slice of luck to take the lead.

Jack Obersteller’s left-footed free-kick wasn’t the greatest in the world as he clipped the ball into the penalty area, but former Welling United defender King sliced his clearance behind him and into the bottom right-hand corner of his own net when he was on his own twelve-yards from his own goal with his back to goal.

“Unfortunate for Kingy, ex Wing,” said Ashby, who continued, “Jack Obersteller is one of the decent free-kick takers in our league with his delivery from all sorts of areas so with his left-foot and his delivery he makes it difficult for the defenders to defend and unfortunately for Kingy it’s come off his shin and gone into the bottom corner.”

Concord Rangers best goalscoring chance of the first half came in the 35^th minute when right-winger Jerome Walker wriggled free and his low left-footed drive from 22-yards brought a fine save from Jamie Turner, who got his big frame down swiftly to his left to palm the shot away before getting up to gather the loose ball.

Turner kept his eye on the ball after Stokes’ driven right-footed free-kick took a couple of deflections before the Welling keeper got down on to his knees to make a comfortable save.

When asked what was said within the home dressing room during the interval, Ashby said: “Just tried to work on a little bit of our shape.  Obviously with the ten-men we felt we weren’t putting pressure on the ball around the half-way line and worked on a bit of shape. We sorted a few things out.  There wasn’t much to be said, just step it up a little bit.”

Welling United hit Concord Rangers on the break inside the opening four minutes of the second half when Healy fed Theo Fairweather-Johnson and the former Thamesmead Town striker drove a right-footed shot from 30-yards, which screamed wide of the left post.

And at the other end Stokes tried his luck from similar distance, his left-footed drive just clearing Turner’s crossbar.

A good move from Welling saw them create a decent chance in the 54^th minute when Baker played the ball into Lafayett’s feet and the leading scorer knocked the ball into Obersteller’s path but his left-footed shot sailed across Jordan and past the far post from fifteen yards.

Concord Rangers then enjoyed plenty of possession but they couldn’t get beyond a solid and hardworking Welling back four.

Ashby added: “Teams have woken up in the last eighteen months and suddenly realised that Welling are quite a powerful side at home and we have to make it difficult but to be fair to them as well tonight they did come and attack us, they didn’t just sit and make it difficult, they had a go as well.  I thought they were a credit tonight.”

But the Ryman Premier Leaguers did produced one piece of quality, to equalise with twenty-one minutes remaining.

Right-back Billy Coyne initial throw was headed back to him by a Welling defender and Coyne had time and space to clip in a quality cross with the outside of his right boot, which bounced across a stranded Turner and Stokes headed into the bottom near corner from  close range.

Ashby said: “Concord, second half, had a right go at us and they pegged us back and they deserved their goal.

“It was a great ball outside of the right peg straight across the box. There’s not a lot that you can do about that!  As a defender if you touch it it’s going to end up in the back of your net.  The kid’s come in back post and stuck it away.

“Disappointed to concede. Even though we did have the numbers around our box.  If you look at it and think we can stop the cross.  Every goal you look at we can stop really but you’ve got to hold your hand up, it’s a great ball in by the lad, outside of the right peg and they’re tough to defend.”

But other than their goal, Concord failed to trouble Turner in the Welling goal.

Ashby was pleased about that and said: “They had the spare man but I felt defensively we done ok with the four defenders, four midfielders in front they were shuffling well and they were looking after their space well so disappointed to concede but that’s going to happen when you’re going to be under pressure.”

That goal should have given Concord Rangers the confidence to continue pressing for the winner, but Welling United produced quality to win the game.

Right-back Loui Fazakerley burst down the right for the first time and whipped in an excellent cross into the box and substitute Lee Clarke made a burst into the area from midfield and was brought down by Nicky Cowley and referee Mr Nigel Lugg pointed to the spot.

Healy stepped up and kept his composure and squeezed his left-footed penalty into the bottom right-hand corner, despite keeper Jordan diving the same way, to score his fourth goal of the season.

Ashby said: “I think everyone knows both of our full-backs are both maundering defenders, they can both get on, they can both delivery quality and it doesn’t surprise me that sort of delivery and Lee Clarke made a living for God knows how many years breaking into the box as a forward and as a midfielder for us and I think he’s got 104-105 goals he tells me.  Joe obviously a bit of quality sticking it away.”

Unfortunately for the goalscoring midfielder Healy was forced off through injury and Ashby said: “Hopefully it’s cramp and hamstring but it might be a little bit more than that but the good thing is he’s felt it early, he hasn’t gone on too long and we’ve iced it up straight away.

“If it’s cramp he’ll be available for Saturday. If it’s not he may be a bit longer but the fact that we got him off early and iced it early and looked after him a bit hopefully it’s helping his recovery.”

Concord Rangers failed to get in behind the Welling back-line and Stokes tried his luck from 25-yards, which cleared the crossbar and at the other end central midfielder Jake Gallagher suffered similar fate.

Concord sent their keeper up for a late corner, which was swung in by James Elmes but Cowley looped his header over Turner’s crossbar from eight-yards.

Welling United travel to Dorchester Town on Saturday for a second-versus-third battle before the Wings welcome Dover Athletic to Park View Road for a showdown next Tuesday before both side’s play their FA Cup Third Qualifying Round ties on 6 October.

Thurrock, who were relegated out of Conference South last season, may be at the foot of the Ryman Premier League table at the moment, but Ashby knows Welling are in for a tough game against Mark Stimson’s side.

Ashby said: “If you get a home tie I think you’re pretty happy.  I think that runs from the Premier (League) boys down to ourselves.

“It’s a home tie.  Stimmo’s not going to make it easy for us. They’re going to come here and they’re going to have a right go like Concord did tonight so it’s going to be tough.

“Hopefully we’ll play better than we did tonight, get a little bit of luck and hopefully we’re in the next round again and in the hat and see where we go from there.”

Welling United: Jamie Turner, Loui Fazakerley, Jack Obersteller, Jamie Day, Fraser Franks, Ben Martin, Harry Baker (Lee Clarke 61), Jake Gallagher, Theo Fairweather-Johnson (Keirnan Hughes-Mason 69), Ross Lafayette, Joe Healy (Scott Kinch 79).
Subs: Sam Mott, Barney Williams, Jon Main, Malakai Hudson

Goals: Steve King 28 (own goal), Joe Healy 75 (pen)

Booked: Joe Healy 42, Ben Martin 67, Jamie Turner 90, Keirnan Hughes-Mason 90

Sent Off: Jamie Day 24

Concord Rangers: Michael Jordan, Billy Coyne (Ade Osifuwa 79), Danny Glozier, Nicky Cowley, Steve King, John Easterford, James Elmes, James White, Jerome Walker (Jason Hallett 56), Harry Elmes, Tony Stokes.
Subs: Sammy Knott, Jacob Cleaver, Danny Clare

Goal:  Tony Stokes 69

Booked: Danny Glozier 11, Steve King 28, Nicky Cowley 73, Jason Hallett 76

Attendance: 287
Referee: Mr Nigel Lugg (Chipstead, Surrey)
Assistants: Mr Peter Killip (Crystal Palace, London SE20) & Mr Sean Smith (Finsbury Park, London N4)