SOUTH: Booth penalty earns Wings deserved victory

Written by Jeremy Hill

Redbridge 1 (Edwards 30)
Welling United 2 (Booth 45, 90 pen)

A Paul Booth brace - both goals coming in added time at the end of each half - was enough to earn Welling a well deserved victory in their first match post Paul Parker.

Despite being slow out of the blocks in the past few league games, the Motormen started the better of the two sides and in-form striker Julian Edwards could have made the score sheet in the second minute when he forced Charlie Mitten into a save with his legs after a neat slide pass from Richard Thomas.

Just three minutes later a quick move involving Edwards and Yohance Lewis resulted in Lloyd Opara shooting over the bar, when he may opted for a return pass to the unmarked Edwards.

The Wings' first real chance came in the 13th minute when Jamie Day's free kick from the right was headed over by Tim Hambley who had stolen a yard in the Redbridge area. At the other end, another neat move involving Edwards and Opara resulted in a fine challenge by skipper Lewis Watts who nicked the ball off Opara's feet when he was looking to find the target.

After a slow start the visitors came more into the game as the half wore on. Flack's run down the right resulted in a dangerous cross towards strike partner Booth, but Alex O'Reilly cut the ball out before it reached the Wings' hitman.

The hosts took the lead on the half hour when right-back Djoumaint Sangare flighted in a ball to Edwards who despite seemingly being held by his marker, managed to stay on his feet to fire low past Mitten. The goal was Edwards' sixth in four successive league games.

A clever flick by Flack from a Booth cross nearly got the Wings back on level terms four minutes later. At the other end Opara ran half the length of the pitch with the ball after the Wings defence looked to play Edwards offside, but the Redbridge striker could only shoot at Mitten.

In added time of the first half, an ill-advised back-pass from Wild towards O'Reilly was met by a sliding Booth who managed to nudge the ball past the Redbridge stopper who had advanced to the edge of his area.

Welling had the better of a competitive yet less eventful second half. In the 50th minute, the Wings forced a succession of corners; the first cleared off the line after being met by Hambley and the second, delivered by Day, was put over the bar by Watts from close range.

Redbridge then went close to regaining the lead on two occasions. First, Opara latched onto a well-weighted ball from Shayne Mangodza only to be thwarted again by Mitten, and then Julian Edwards produced an exquisite turn and rounded Mitten only for Tony Browne to clear off the line.

The hosts were also forced to scramble the ball clear when Flack found himself in on goal but Richard Halle managed to save the Motormen.

In stoppage time, Booth's ball into the feet of Flack resulted in Mangodza upending the Wings dangerman in the area. Booth stepped up to cap off his hard working display with a second goal to O'Reilly's right.

Redbridge: O'Reilly, Sangare (Bradshaw 46), Halle, Mangodza, Wild, Thomas, Omgba (Davey 78), C Edwards, J Edwards, Opara (Valdez 70), Lewis. Subs not used: Wood, Madiokoka

Welling United: Mitten, Browne, Hale, Smith, Watts, Wiles, Slatter (Spiller 64), Hambley, Flack, Booth, Day. Subs not used: Bernard, Carter, Ball

Bookings: Hambley (74), Flack (83)
Attendance: 150