Relief for Askey
VANARAMA CONFERENCE MACC TOWN .................. 3 WELLING UNITED ........ 2
AT any stage of the season any stroke of luck is most welcomed, and with the runin looming John Askey wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth after Macc Town’s win over Welling.
Twice Macc fell behind, and twice they dragged themselves back on terms before Matthew BarnesHomer’s late winner undid the visitors, who’d played the second half a man down.
While it was far from their best performance the Silkmen were given a helping hand by referee Jason Whiteley with a generous penalty in the first half.
A further boost came courtesy of the Wings’ Anthony Jeffrey, with two ludicrous yellow cards before the break, Mr Whiteley given no real option other than to bring Jeffrey’s miserable day to an early close.
But it was the spot-kick that enraged the visitors. Lee Bell, in his first match since November, saw his goalbound shot handled by Darren Purse.
It was debatable, and one that the conceding team are bound to feel aggrieved at, but Waide Fairhurst leapt at the chance to net his 10th of the season.
By that time Welling had taken the lead, scoring on their first attack, 20 minutes in, as Dominic Vose got his head to Reece Harris’ cross and beat Rhys Taylor at point-blank range.
That had come after Macc’s early dominance but although BarnesHomer had latched onto Jeffrey’s woefully short backpass Darren Purse defended manfully to block the striker, as well as Andy Halls’ follow-up efforts.
Following Vose’s goal Macc were almost back level when Paul Turnbull sized up a free-kick but he was inches off the target, his shot beating goalkeeper Jonathan Henly but crashing back off the upright.
But with the fourth spotkick Welling had conceded in less than two-and-ahalf games, Fairhurst found the bottom corner to make it 1-1.
The visitors’ task was made all the more difficult just before the break as Jeffrey, who’d picked up a silly dissent-related booking midway through the half, hacked down the inflight Adriano Moke.
He was instantly, and correctly, despatched down the tunnel, to be joined seconds later by disgruntled team-mates for the break.
However, Welling – who’d been hoping to break a four-game losing streak – made light of their handicap in the second half and a delicate chip over the top by skipper Joe Healy saw them edge in front again, Jason Williams matching the pass with an equally neat finish over Taylor.
But Barnes-Homer’s predatory instincts won this game for the Silkmen. Fifteen minutes from time he robbed Chris Bush and clinically beat the onrushing Henly to once again restore parity.
And worse was to come for luckless Welling.
With just eight minutes to play Moke made it to the byline and his cross was perfectly-placed for Barnes-Homer.
The striker, in his first start since Christmas week, nodded in off the foot of the post to make it 3-2.
It was a lead that Macc were never likely to relinquish, with Welling’s resistance finally broken and their manager ruing