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Tuesday 4 March 2008	CONFERENCE SOUTH
Bishop's Stortford 1 Welling United 2 Pearson 31 Ellison-Hustwick 7 Cobbs 78 295

1 Andy Young   2 Matt Jones   3 Danny Lunan 4 Jason Mason   5 Rob Gilman   6 Michael Stanbrook   7 Loui Fazackerly   8 Tom Williamson   9 Greg Pearson   10 Roy Essandoh   11 Ahmed Deen   12 Paul Goodacre (6, h-t)   14 Sosthene Yao (10, 74 mins)   15 Alex Martin (4, 83 mins)   16 Sam Taylor   17 Joe Welch

Referee Mr. J. Hayto Linesmen Mr. P. Faithfull Mr. M. Morris

1 Jamie Turner   2 Joe Howe   3 Robbie Ryan   4 Richard Carpenter   5 Chris Moore   6 Max Ellison-Hustwick   7 Ellis Green   8 Michael Kamara   9 Sam Gargan 10 Orlando Smith   11 Sonny Cobbs   12 Ohran Stewart   14 Calum Crawley   15 Danny Phillips   16 Michael Boakey   17 Elliot Bent (9, 88 mins)

Another two new signings appeared in the Welling United squad for the visit to promotion chasing Bishop’s Stortford. Michael Kamara started at right back (despite wearing the number 8 shirt), becoming the 50th player to appear for the Wings this season, and Elliott Bent sat on the bench.

Further confusion with numbers and positions saw number 2, Joe Howe, playing wide left midfield whilst Sonny Cobbs played centre midfield even though he wore number 11.

The Wings came out flying at Stansted overspill and should have scored from their first corner. A goalmouth scramble resulted in Sam Gargan miss-cueing a shot that was blocked and Max Ellison-Hustwick’s scuffed follow up was cleared off the line. Just two minutes later, Welling won another corner. Kamara crossed to the near post where Ellison-Hustwick had the freedom of the penalty area to head powerfully into the back of the net, past a static Andy Young.

The Wings continued to press and Mucu had a powerful shot that produced an outstanding save from Young. Although Howe was able to pull the ball back to the edge of the penalty area, Richard Carpenter failed to find the target with his shot.

Even though well on top, Welling almost conceded after twenty-five minutes, only escaping when Kamara headed of the line.

Welling came close from another corner when Gargan was just off target, but almost immediately an awful Robbie Ryan back pass allowed Greg Pearson to round Jamie Turner and slot into the empty net.

What probably proved to be the turning point was just before half time when Pearson carved open Welling’s defence and set up an open goal for Ahmed Deen. Fortunately, his shot was so woeful that it almost hit a Boeing 707 coming in to land, and a Pearson shot that went wide when he should have done better meant that Welling were happy to go in level after a first half in which they were mostly the superior team.

Paul Goodacre replaced Stortford captain Michael Stanbrook at the start of the second half, a forty-five minutes that proved equally as entertaining.

The hosts enjoyed some possession but Chris Moore was imperious in defence and Turner only had to worry about long-range efforts, or sweeping up balls played over the top.

Meanwhile, Mucu continued to cause problems for the home team and produced further openings, first setting up Gargan for a shot that was blocked on the line, then hitting a shot that Young had to be sharp to keep out.

Another Stortford change saw new signing Sosthene Yao replace the ineffective Roy Essandoh as they looked increasingly desperate in their attempts at keeping up with the pack chasing for play off places.

Bishop Stortford’s left back, Danny Lunan, finally exhausted the patience of referee John Hayto and was shown the yellow card for his umpteenth foul on Ellis Green.

With ten minutes remaining, Sonny Cobbs gained possession just inside the Bishop’s Stortford half and as he ran forward looking for where to pass, the defence opened up for him and invited him to shoot. He did not turn down the invitation and, although his effort wasn’t the most cleanly hit of shots, it had enough on it to beat the despairing dive of Young and nestle into the back of the net.

Loui Fazakerly had the only chance for an equaliser as he cut in from the right wing and had a shot, but Turner saved comfortably.

Bent came on as substitute for Gargan to make his Welling debut and there was still time for two further Mucu efforts, one saved by Young and the other just passing the wrong side of the post.

Danson Mark