Wilson strike gets Romans up and running

City secured their first victory of the 2024/25 season with a 1-0 win over Welling United at Twerton Park this afternoon. Scott Wilson netted the only goal of the game just past the half hour mark with the visitors ending the game with ten men following Burchell’s dismissal five minutes from time.

An even first half saw City show first, with Grant denying Wilson a shooting opportunity on nine minutes and Ewan Clark curling a shot narrowly wide three minutes later. Parselle then volleyed a Clark corner over the bar but it was the Wings who should have gone ahead in the 22nd minute, Grant blazing over from just eight yards out. City made them pay for this miss on 33 minutes as Wilson collected Jordan Tillson’s pass before turning and firing past Lovett. Sol Wanjau-Smith diverted another dangerous cross just wide with his chest as City finished the half on top.

Welling spurned another good opening early in the second half when Kennedy shot into the side-netting from Johnson’s pull-back. Tillson’s dipping volley on 64 minutes dropped just the wrong side of the post as City pressed for a second. Six minutes later Alex Fisher sent Clark racing clear but, after rounding Lovett, he was forced out wide allowing Welling to get back and clear the danger. The game looked to be drifting to an uneventful conclusion after this but with five minutes left a dreadful challenge on Jack Batten in the City box saw Burchell receive a second booking in the aftermath. And in the final seconds of six additional minutes a jinking run into the box by Kennedy saw him go to ground under Ben Morgan’s challenge but the referee was not fooled. This saw a member of the Wings coaching staff also see red and moments later the final whistle signalled the win for City.