Welling United 2-2 Cambridge United - I want us to be entertaining, says Jamie Day

The Wings opened their Conference Premier campaign with a 2-1 defeat to Welsh giants Wrexham at the weekend and played their first home game at this level for thirteen years when much-fancied Cambridge United made their first visit on the night of England's 3-2 friendly win over Scotland at Wembley Stadium.

Cambridge United grabbed a 34^th minute lead when Ryan Donaldson’s deflected effort from 30-yards crashed back down off the underside of the crossbar and in off Wings goalkeeper Lee Butcher for an unlucky own-goal.

But the Kent side levelled within three minutes when lone striker Ross Lafayette headed home from a corner before Peterborough resident Lee Clarke smashed home from inside the box to give Welling United a deserved lead.

Cambridge United forced Welling United on to the back foot during the second half and Richard Money’s side deservedly levelled through talented substitute Nathan Arnold before both teams created chances but had to settle for a point.

Day, 33, was satisfied with his side’s first point back amongst the non-league elite, which takes his side up a place to seventeenth after two games.

“A good game of football, end-to-end,” he said.

“I thought that we defended well, created chances and for a neutral as well probably a good game of football.

“I thought the quality was good so obviously pleasing performance.  Maybe disappointed that we couldn’t see it out and get three points. I think it’s encouraging what I’ve seen from the first two games.”

Day added: “I think you can look at it and say that we’ve dropped points or we’ll be disappointed with it but I thought overall it was a good game of football. We played some good stuff against a full-time team who will be challenging for the title I feel so we’re more than hold our own tonight and on Saturday (at Wrexham) and we’ve got to continue to do that.”

Cambridge United who thrashed Halifax Town 5-1 in the televised BT Sport game on Sunday, thought all they had to do was turn up to claim their second victory of the season, but Welling United went into this game on a 24 match unbeaten run at fortress Park View Road and the Wings were a determined side.

Cambridge United created the game’s first clear cut chance when Harrison Dunk, who was playing a lot further forward than his left-back days at Conference South Bromley, saw his initial low left-footed drive blocked by Fraser Franks before steering his first-time right-footed rebound past the far post from 25-yards.

Day said: “I think we limited them to long distance opportunities and they dragged a couple wide and I thought we defended well as a back four or five, a midfield three and the front three working hard, which is why they didn’t have many chances.

“People expect us to come out and just attack for 90 minutes because we’re at home but this year we’ve got to be more disciplined and we’re not going to turn up and beat teams so we’ve got to be more organised and I felt that we’ve done that in the first two games and been unlucky in both.”

But Day felt his side should have taken the lead exactly 60 seconds later.

Left-back Jack Obersteller whipped in a free-kick with his left-foot towards the far post but Joe Healy directed his towering header straight at Cambridge United keeper Chris Maxwell in the 16^th minute.

Day said: “Good ball from Obo. Joe’s done well to get round the back, maybe either side it might’ve gone in but it lacked a little bit of power but I thought we created chances all night. They had good opportunities at times as well. We’ve created enough chances to get a few more.”

Welling supporters started clapping for 60 seconds in the 25^th minute to pay tribute to supporter Adam Schulver who sadly lost his life at the age of 25 a few weeks ago.

And during this moment of reflection, Cambridge United hit another effort wide when Liam Hughes and Donaldson linked up and Luke Berry curled his left-footed drive across Lee Butcher and past the far post.

But Cambridge United received some good fortune when they took the lead.

Donaldson unleashed a right-footed drive towards goal from 30-yards, which deflected off Alex Dyer and looped over the back-peddling Butcher to hit the crossbar before bouncing down and hitting the keeper’s body before dropping over the line for an own-goal.

“I think that’s probably been a little bit disappointing from our point of view about the goals that we’ve conceded so far have either been a great strike or a little bit lucky about it,” said Day.

“Obviously a great strike from the lad. I think it’s hit Faz or Alex and looped, hit the bar and hit Butch and gone in so I think it’s on target so maybe give it to the lad?”

Day was reluctant to give the own goal to his goalkeeper and said: “I think it might’ve hit him (Butcher) as it bounced back down off the bar.  I’m disappointed because it could’ve gone anywhere and unfortunately for us and fortunately for them it’s gone in the back of the net.”

However, to their credit, last season’s Conference South champions, immediately bounced back and equalised within three minutes.

Obersteller whipped in an excellent corner from the right with his left-foot and Lafayette made space for himself inside a crowded penalty area to glance his header into the bottom far corner.

“I felt heads didn’t drop like Saturday. We’ve just got back on and just got at them and had another go and we deserved to get a goal,” said Day.

“A great ball from Obo and a great run from Roscoe and it’s stuff that we work on so fair play to them, they’ve taken it on board and they’ve made the right runs and by doing it they’ve got ourselves a goal.

“Pleased for Roscoe because he worked his socks off and it gets him off the mark.”

Welling United issued Cambridge United a warning when Obersteller floated in another cross which was knocked down by Lafayette and Dyer’s right-footed shot on the turn was clipped straight at Maxwell.

But the Welling United supporters were singing in the rain when their side took the lead just two minutes before the break to stun Cambridge United and their supporters.

Once again Obersteller was involved as he joined in with an attack and drilled a low left-footed shot back into the danger area and the ball fell at Clarke’s feet, who turned and thumped a left-footed shot into the roof of the net, high over the keeper’s right shoulder.

“Perhaps we got a little bit lucky there that Obo’s had a shot and it’s gone into the path of Clarky but a great first touch and spin and the finish was top class,” hailed Day.

“He’s going to be vital this year,” Day said of his influential skipper. “He’s experienced this level before and he’s got a great character and he’s going to need to help the younger ones through when it does get a bit tough but a good display from him and the team so I’m obviously pleased.”

When asked whether Clarke enjoyed scoring against one of his closest clubs, Day replied, “I think he did! The way he ran off it was a great finish and deservedly took the lead.”

When asked what he told his troops during the half-time interval, the Welling United boss replied: “I just said to them to keep it going. We’ve been on the front foot and we played with quality and I think we need to believe in ourselves a little bit more.

“I’m not saying that we’re going to be up there at the end of the season, but we’ve matched the two sides that will be and our aim is to keep that consistency going and believe that they are good players because we have got a squad of good young players that will have ups and downs but providing they stay on the front foot and they’re positive then hopefully we can keep having good performances.”

Cambridge United increased their tempo at the start of the second half and put the home side on the back foot straight from the kick-off.

“Which you would expect,” added Day.  “They’re going to be around the top of the table and they’ve got quality and they break well and they’ve got some big powerful lads and they’re going to have spells, even with us being at home.  Whoever we play are going to have spells against us but again I thought we defended really well.”

A long ball picked out left-back Greg Taylor, who cracked a left-footed shot wide of the near post within the opening 61 seconds, which was a sign of things to come.

A cross from right-back Tait sailed over to Donaldson at the far post, who headed down and past the near post, before Money introduced some electrifying pace in the shape of Delano Sam-Yorke – who scored twice against Halifax on Sunday – and Arnold.

But Welling United were also a threat on the break and they called Maxwell into making a near post block on the hour-mark when Obersteller drilled in a left-footed angled drive from 25-yards.

Cambridge United swiftly went up the other end of the pitch and only 19 seconds later, Sam-Yorke clipped the top of the near post with a left-footed angled drive from distance.

Cambridge United continued to dominate and they were gifted a corner when Dunk sailed an over-hit free-kick which Butcher plucked out of the air above his head but took a step back to gift Cambridge a corner, but the keeper was at the right place to catch Ian Miller’s header following Donaldson’s corner from the left.

Welling United went close when Lafayette’s right-footed shot on the turn flashed just past of the left-hand post from 22-yards.

But Cambridge United deservedly equalised with a quality finish from Arnold in the 68^th minute.

Hughes played the ball into Arnold’s feet who accelerated around the Welling defence before powering a right-footed drive across the diving keeper, who dived to his right and got a hand to the shot but couldn’t prevent the ball nestling into the bottom far corner of the net.

Day said: “I’ve not really seen the goal yet. Butch thinks he should’ve saved it, but it looked a good strike from where I was.”

Day revealed that he knew Arnold was going to be a threat tonight.

“I watched him on Sunday and I thought he was lively. I thought he had a little bit about him and possibly could play higher than the level that he’s playing at.  I knew he was going to be a handful. I was pleased when he didn’t start but I felt he came on and he had an impact on the game. Good finish!  I’ll have a look at it again and see but from where I was it looked as though it was a good strike.”

Both sides should be congratulated for going for the winner during an open final 20 minutes.

Day added: “Obviously disappointed to concede, again our heads didn’t drop and we still created chances later on in the second half.

“I think then the game just opened up and I think both teams were trying to win the game. 

“At times maybe we’re going to come unstuck and we’ll concede and get beat and other times we’ll go and win but I want us to be entertaining and I want us to play good football and hopefully see games out and get wins and don’t go gung-ho, but at the same time we’re going to enjoy this season and play how I want us to play and hopefully we can get more good results than bad.”

Loui Fazakerley drilled in a low cross from the right which found Kurtis Guthrie at the near post and his powerful low drive deflected past the far post from a tight angle from the edge of the six-yard box.

Fazakerley swung in the resulting corner from the left, which was headed away and Fraser Franks’ right-footed volley shaded the top of the left-hand post from 18-yards.

The Wings were dangerous from Obersteller’s quality deliveries in and substitute Loick Pires hooked his left-footed volley just wide of the near post from 18-yards.

Cambridge United thought they had snatched victory when Donaldson played the ball to Tait on the right and his cross was brought under Arnold’s spell before the striker cracked his left-footed drive, which sailed just over the bar from 20-yards.

Welling United also had a chance to win it at the death when Pires stroked a left-footed angled drive towards the near post, which Maxwell did well to hold as he dived low to his left, with Lafayette ready to pounce.

Day added: “We’ve created a good amount of chances and on another day perhaps one of them goes in and that’s the quality that we probably need to start trying to get to. If we have three chances we need to be taking one of them and that’s something that we need to work on and if we can get that right then hopefully we’re going to be looking up, rather than down.”

Day knows his side must make their tight ground a fortress and that the club’s supporters to flock through the turnstiles so they can compete at this level.

“If we’re going to do well this year we need to make this a fortress and we need to keep winning games and at times picking up points and I think the crowd will have an impact on that as well,” he said.

“Whether we’re winning, losing or drawing, they need to get behind the team for 90 minutes every game, home and away, but I think if the fans, like they have done, can get behind the boys it raises our levels and hopefully we can make this a difficult place for other teams to come to.”

Welling United:  Lee Butcher, Loui Fazakerley, Fraser Franks, Doug Bergqvist, Jack Obersteller, Kurtis Guthrie, Alex Dyer (Loick Pires 74), Jake Gallagher, Lee Clarke, Joe Healy, Ross Lafayette.
Subs: Jamie Turner, Callum Webb, Joe Obersteller, Sam Corne

Goals:  Ross Lafayette 37, Lee Clarke 43

Booked: Doug Bergqvist 11, Jake Gallagher 90

Cambridge United:  Chris Maxwell, Richard Tait, Ian Miller, Rory McAuley, Greg Taylor, Liam Hughes, Tom Champion, Luke Berry (Delano Sam-Yorke 53), Ryan Donaldson, Harrison Dunk, Adam Cunnington (Nathan Arnold 64).
Subs: Will Norris, Mitch Austin, Luke Allen
 
Goals:  Lee Butcher 34 (own goal), Nathan Arnold 68

Booked:  Richard Tait 80, Nathan Arnold 90

Attendance: 1,010
Referee: Mr Dean Treleaven (Chichester, West Sussex)
Assistants: Mr Christopher Wade (Southampton, Hampshire) & Mr Ian Parsons (Salisbury, Wiltshire)
Fourth Official: Mr Paul Johnson (Raynes Park, London SW20)