Anthony Acheampong celebrates his second goal for Welling against Tonbridge

by Matthew Panting

Anthony Acheampong scored twice as Welling went three points clear at the top of Blue Square Bet South on Tuesday night.

The Wings eventually ran out comfortable 4-1 winners but were not without a scare after Tonbridge striker Frannie Collin pulled a goal back early in the second half.

In the end, however, Tonbridge's threadbare line-up - caused by a double defensive suspesion - was too big a problem to overcome against the division's leading scorers.

Welling handed a debut to striker Jake Reid, signed on loan from AFC Telford, and he impressed up front alongside leading scorer Ross Lafayette while Kiernan Hughes-Mason gave left-back Jon Heath a torrid time down the wing.

The hosts had the best of the early chances, Lee Clarke's shot was saved by keeper Lee Worgan, after a fluffed clearance, while Jamie Day fizzed a right-foot shot just wide from 25 yards after breaking up a Tonbridge counter attack. Lee Clarke scores Welling's third goal

Reid followed over and then shot wide from the edge of the box while Tonbridge were always a threat with Mikel Suarez winning everything in the air. Skipper Lee Browning turned one assist straight at keeper Sam Mott while Collin shot wide from 20 yards.

Ben Martin nearly headed Welling in front from a far post corner but they did go ahead six minutes before half-time when another dangerous Jack Obersteller cross was headed in by Acheampong.

The lead was doubled four minutes later as Jake Gallagher and Hughes-Mason combined for the latter to cross for Lafayette, with the aid of a Tonbridge defender, to turn the ball beyond Worgan.

Browning went close at the start of the second half before Collin did pull one back on 49 minutes with a classy finish inside Mott's near post.

It served only to wake the home side, who found pockets of space between Tonbridge's midfield and defence to cause them problems.

The third goal arrived on 62 minutes when Lafayette picked out Clarke in the box and his early left-foot finish proved too good for Worgan.

Reid's header from a corner hit the post and bounced to safety while it needed an excellent save from Mott to deny Collin his second of the game with 20 minutes left after yet another Suarez flick-on.

Any hopes of a Tonbridge fightback were over nine minutes from the end when Day's corner was volleyed in from close range by Acheampong.

Pictures: Keith Gillard