Win over Welling sets up Eastbourne Borough for Blackpool Cup test

The script was written. Eastbourne Borough were dominating a scrappy affair with visitors Welling United, but battling to break the 1-1 deadlock. The clock was ticking down: time for a young and local hero.
Goal celebrations at Eastbourne's win over Welling / Picture: Andy PellingGoal celebrations at Eastbourne's win over Welling / Picture: Andy Pelling
Goal celebrations at Eastbourne's win over Welling / Picture: Andy Pelling

As Dean Cox swung in a corner from the left into a goalmouth rabble of bodies, Welling keeper Reise Cook only pushed the ball out feebly, and the quickest to react was Charley Kendall. Fetching if back from beyond the back post, Kendall turned and drilled an instant shot into the bottom corner for 2-1.

Kendall, on loan at Priory Lane from Queens Park Rangers, is locally based, and spent his youth scoring goals by the barrow-load on the playing fields of Eastbourne. After a couple of appearances off the bench, he has started the past two games for Danny Bloor’s side – and Saturday’s strike was just reward.

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A bleak, soaking wet day, unglamorous opponents, and a game like a box of damp fireworks, only occasionally catching light. Never mind Welling, it was a day for wellies and weather gear. But the Sports buckled down and added another three points to their National South total. They sit sixth in the table, and but for a cruelly disallowed late winner against Chelmsford a fortnight ago, they would sit second behind early leaders Dartford.

Goal celebrations at Eastbourne's win over Welling / Picture: Andy PellingGoal celebrations at Eastbourne's win over Welling / Picture: Andy Pelling
Goal celebrations at Eastbourne's win over Welling / Picture: Andy Pelling

Kendall had slotted in for Chris Whelpdale, whose slight leg strain is nicely on the mend but, with the Blackpool FA Cup game looming, he was not risked on Saturday.

Borough opened strongly with the wind at their backs, and they went ahead on just 9 minutes. A right-wing corner was poorly dealt with by the wings defence, and James Hammond popped the ball back in to Charlie Walker, whose pass across the face of goal was struck home by Greg Luer.

Winless Welling – with seven loan players in their squad and four new faces on Saturday – were often playing like strangers, but throughout the ninety minutes they produced flashes of danger, and on 19 minutes they shocked the home side with a well-taken equaliser. A ball into the edge of the area was expertly chested down by tall striker Rowan Liburd to Lionel Ainsworth, whose instant shot fizzed past Franco Ravizzoli and spun into the net off the base of the left post.

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The Sports responded with some flowing football but only glimpses of goal. Cook denied Kendall’s narrow-angled shot with an agile one-handed save, and the Welling goalmouth survived two or three breathless moments from Borough crosses.

Goal celebrations at Eastbourne's win over Welling / Picture: Andy PellingGoal celebrations at Eastbourne's win over Welling / Picture: Andy Pelling
Goal celebrations at Eastbourne's win over Welling / Picture: Andy Pelling

Then right on half-time, the Wings very nearly grabbed the lead with one of their chances-from-nowhere. A huge kick from the keeper was pinged off a couple of shins, and suddenly Stefan Ilic was clear in the penalty area, but Franco – once again a formidable presence in the Sports goal – denied him with a great reflex save.

With the wind now beneath their wings, the Kent side must have hoped to press Borough in the second half. But Bloor’s men know how to play the inevitable weather conditions at the Lane, and they managed the game well. The closest call came on the hour mark, Ilic hooking his shot against the crossbar from a floated right-wing cross.

Five minutes later, Charlie Walker blazed a great chance over the bar from a cross by the excellent Kai Innocent – but for Welling, it was merely a brief reprieve before Kendall’s decisive strike. Three more points in the locker, and with Blackpool heading this way on Sunday, the Sports are in good shape.