BY MARK DOIG
Simo Mbonkwi helped himself to a hat-trick as Hungerford Town plundered the three points at Welling United.
Defensive frailties that were on show when Welling lost at Havant & Waterlooville one week earlier were again to the fore as the Wings struggled to do the basics. With Charley O’Keefe unavailable, Steve Lovell had to deploy Olumide Durojaiye at centre-back alongside Bradley Pearce.
They went behind in the ninth minute in a very disappointing manner. James Rusby hurled in a long throw that Mbonkwi headed home from close range.
Dipo Akinyemi had a chance to level when he met AFC Wimbledon loanee Huseyin Biler’s cross but could only head straight at Luke Cairney. Kristian Campbell fired wide for the Wings before Welling repeated their earlier indiscretion. Rusby launched another throw into the box and again Mbonkwi was allowed to finish from close range.
Chi Ezennolim then crashed a shot high and wide after good work by Che Krabbendam as Welling tried to get back into the match but Murphy Mahoney had to be alert to save Ryan Seager’s free kick.
Ben Allen caught a Hungerford defender dithering and nicked it away but Cairney was out quickly to block his shot away. Welling got it into the box quickly and the half clearance fell into the path of Akinyemi whose powerful volley flew beyond a helpless Cairney.
Had Welling seen out the remaining five minutes, they could have started the second half with some momentum but they again shot themselves in the foot when Pearce got caught out and brought down Sol Wanjau-Smith in the area. There was little argument about the penalty but the referee’s decision to dismiss Pearce was exceptionally harsh.
Once the fuss had died down, Seager stepped up and sent Mahoney the wrong way from the spot.
Ten minutes after the break, Mbonkwi completed his hat-trick when meeting Rhys Tyler’s deep cross with an emphatic close range volley.
Allen spun and shot but his effort was deflected over then Bradley Stevenson fired wide from long range.
Mbonkwi had a couple of half chances for Hungerford then Kaylen Hinds couldn’t quite reach Akinyemi’s cross at the other end but the game was gone and Welling now have to prepare for the August Bank Holiday weekend with two games in three days.
PICTURE: DAVE BUDDEN
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