Welling 1 Grays 2

TWO goals from substitute Mitchell Cole led table-topping Grays to victory over Welling at Park View Road on Saturday.

The first half was played in driving rain and although Grays had the better of the possession it was Welling who created the best chance.

Four minutes before the break Paul Booth saw his header brilliantly saved by visiting goalkeeper Ashley Bayes.

Booth should have opened the scoring early in the second half but was denied by Bayes again and Welling were made to pay when Grays took the lead on 53 minutes.

Danny Slatter failed to clear a controversial free kick and the ball fell to Cole, who fired in an unstoppable left-foot volley from the edge of the area.

Welling picked up after the goal and when Booth saw his 30-yard free kick turned aside by Bayes, James Smith headed in the resulting corner on 67 minutes.

Booth had a chance to win the game with 13 minutes to go but Lee Matthews cleared his effort off the line.

Grays snatched the three points in the 89th minute when Cole’s right-wing corner somehow looped over the stranded Danny Knowles and into the net.