Welling 3 Bognor 3 match report
Published: 16:58, 12 August 2017
Frustrated Welling were left to rue a number of missed chances as they drew with Bognor in National League South on Saturday.
A topsy-turvy game saw four goals in a dramatic opening 22 minutes before a wonderful strike by Joe Healy resuced a point in the second half for the Wings.
It means they have picked up just one point from the first three games under player/boss Jamie Coyle, who himself has now scored three goals in a week.
Welling made one change from the Chelmsford defeat in midweek - Pierre Joseph-Dubois in for Christian Nanetti - but only named four substitutes.
A goal crazy first half saw Bognor take the lead inside nine minutes. Jimmy Muitt got in behind Sean Francis and produced a neat finish past keeper Dillon Barnes.
Welling took just two minutes to respond. Connor Dymond's deep corner was powerfully headed home by player/boss Coyle.
The Wings were ahead on 14 minutes when Bradley Goldberg produced a moment of class from 20 yards, firing into the bottom corner beyond keeper Dan Lincoln.
Welling nearly added a third but Doug Tuck did brilliantly to clear Ian Gayle's effort off the line after another corner caused problems for the Bognor defence.
Tom Bradbrook then headed over Dymond's free-kick when it seemed easier to score.
The hosts were made to pay when they gifted Bognor an equaliser on 22 minutes. Tuck got past Jack Parkinson too easily to deliver a cross to the near post, where on-loan Colchester keeper Barnes fumbled the ball into his own net for an own goal.
Welling nearly restored their lead two minutes later but Joseph-Dubois, having battled his way past two challenges in the penalty area, had his shot beaten away by Lincoln.
The Bognor keeper was on hand to deny Bradbrook from the resulting corner but Welling's sparkle in attack fizzled out in the rest of the half.
It was Welling that continued to carve out the openings after the break. Healy shot wide after promising link-up play between Goldberg and Bradbrook before Dymond fired over from Healy's chest down.
Goldberg twice threatened and Healy volleyed over before Goldberg - brilliantly played in by Dymond - was denied by Lincoln once again.
Bognor regained the lead against the run of play with 20 minutes left when Muitt crossed for the unmarked Ollie Pearce to score into an empty net.
But their lead was shortlived as Healy fired in a brilliant 25-yard shot two minutes later for his first goal since returning to the club in the summer to make it 3-3.
Welling still created plenty of chances to claim a winner. Substitute Christian Nanetti was booked for a dive in the box, Dymond shot straight at the keeper and then Gayle fired wide from close range after an initial effort was cleared off the line.
Goldberg, who could have finished with two hat-tricks, shot wide from inside the box but Wings keeper Barnes redeemed himself in the 90th minute following his first-half howler, producing a low one-handed save to deny Bognor right-back Harvey Whyte, whose mazy run had seen him beat four Welling defenders.
Welling: Barnes, Gayle, Jefford, Parkinson (Nanetti 71mins), Coyle, Francis, Dymond, Healy, Bradbrook, Goldberg, Joseph-Dubois (Durojaiye 59mins). Subs not used: Pavey, Pattisson.
Bognor: Lincoln, Whyte, Davies, Tuck, El-Abd, Heath, Muitt, Lea, Field, Pearce (Wild 88mins), Swallow. Subs not used: Suragi, Block, Parsons, Boughton.
Attendance: 511.
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Matthew Panting