Weymouth 1-1 Welling United: Terras held by strugglers

Thomson 45

WELLING UNITED 1

Adom 53

WEYMOUTH were held to a 1-1 draw by Welling United in an uninspiring display at the Bob Lucas Stadium.

In a match low on substance, Ben Thomson capitalised on a defensive implosion to put Weymouth ahead in the first half.

Kain Adom pulled a goal back for Welling after half-time but neither side could find a winner, highlighting their struggles in the Vanarama National League South this season.

Looking for a sixth straight win over Welling, Weymouth manager Bobby Wilkinson made three changes to the side that began the 1-1 draw at bottom side Havant last time out.

READ MORE: Weymouth 1-1 Welling United - how it happened

Goalkeeper Hugo Fisher has been recalled by Brighton, while Ezio Touray dropped to the bench and there was no place in the squad for Elliott Bolton.

Among the trio coming in was Thomson, while there were debuts for Bournemouth loanee Ben Winterburn and former Chelsea youth keeper Jared Thompson.

Jared Thompson impressed with several key saves on his Weymouth debut (Image: MARK PROBIN)

On the bench, Moe Shubbar and Joel Rollinson retained their places, joining Touray, with Brandon Goodship and Anthony Cheshire rounding off Weymouth's options.

Charlie Rowan was Weymouth's only other absentee from last week's 16.

Following a moving rendition of The Last Post by Robert Page, plus a minute’s silence for those who lost their lives in battle for their country, play got under way.

However, in what was a turgid first half, both sides struggled to display any sort of quality on a brisk and windy afternoon.

After a succession of corners and free-kicks came to nothing, the first shot on target arrived in the 17th minute courtesy of Lachlan Byrd’s harmless deflected header for Welling.

Again, the teams traded poor corners but after Welling’s sixth of the half, Antony Papadopoulos was offered a second chance to pick out a teammate.

Weymouth allowed his delivery to bounce in the box but no Welling attacker could connect as the ball flew past the back post.

Weymouth’s Jordon Thompson and Teddy Howe picked up cheap yellow cards before the break, but the Terras would lead in comedic circumstances on 45 minutes.

Sprinting off his line to collect a long ball, Welling keeper Ben Winterbottom collided with centre-half Jack Burchell, taking both players out.

With the two teammates lying on the ground, Thomson arrived first on the scene and gleefully accepted the simple task of finding the empty net from 20 yards out for 1-0.

Ben Thomson, left, put Weymouth ahead (Image: MARK PROBIN)

The groggy-looking Burchell was replaced by Taylor Curran seconds prior to the half-time whistle and there were no further changes from either side at the interval.

Weymouth went close to a second in the 49th minute when Dan Roberts collected a diagonal pass and drove low and hard at Winterbottom.

Dan Roberts nearly made it 2-0 with this effort in the second half (Image: MARK PROBIN)

Yet they were pegged back four minutes later by a clinical finish from Adom, who reacted quickest to a loose ball on the D and belted past Thompson for 1-1.

Weymouth then needed the former Midtjylland stopper to deny Jephte Tanga at close-range inside the box as Welling sniffed a quickfire second.

Tristan Abrahams became the latest Wings man to threaten, blazing over from 20 yards, after Weymouth brought on Rollinson for Keelan O’Connell.

David Sesay earned Weymouth’s third booking of the afternoon in similar fashion to Howe’s as Welling continued to look more menacing.

And Winterburn’s unspectacular debut ended when Touray replaced him with 20 minutes to go, and Roberts lasted only five minutes longer as Shubbar was introduced.

The ex-Rochdale attacker nearly came up with the goods on 80 minutes, cutting inside and drilling just wide after tenacious work from Calvin Brooks.

Welling sensed a winner late on as Thompson tipped over Dom Odusanya’s free-kick and subsequent corner from underneath his own bar.

Wings’ sub Enoch Muwonge then powerfully blasted wide from 25 yards having been allowed to turn in midfield.

Entering five minutes of added time, a draw looked the likeliest result but the Terras nearly snatched all three points.

Shubbar’s devilish inswinging corner picked out Brooks but the defender, despite climbing highest and timing his run well, could not keep his header down in the 93rd minute.

His chance was the last of a poor match, summed up when Welling unintentionally passed the ball out of play to invite the final whistle.

Terras: Ja Thompson, Howe, Brooks, Jo Thompson, Sesay, Durojaiye, Bearwish, Winterburn (Touray 70), Roberts (Shubbar 75), O'Connell (Rollinson 61), Thomson. Subs not used: Goodship, Cheshire.

Welling: Winterbottom, Lema, Green, Abrahams, Odusanya, Adom, Papadopoulos (Muwonge 75), Kassarate, Burchell (Curran 45+4), Tanga, Byrd. Subs not used: Wood, Bayford, Bramble.

Referee: Shelby Elson.

Attendance: 844.