Lucas second half strike earns City point in Welling stalemate

Jamie Lucas came off the bench to grab an equalising goal for City against Welling United at Twerton Park this afternoon, after the visitors had led by a single goal at the interval. There was little quality football on show from either side during a drab first-half, although what rare sights of goal there were tended to come from the Kent side. A couple of these had come and gone before, on 20 minutes, City failed to clear a corner and Phipps’ header back across the box somehow looped into the top corner of the net. Twice in quick succession after this fortunate opener Welling got behind City’s backline but Luke Southwood did well to block the efforts. City really should have go into the break level when Nick McCootie’s deep cross picked out Andy Watkins only for his header to hit the post with the goal gaping. Despite two changes at the half-time break City continued to struggle to impose themselves on the game, although there were signs of improvement as the second half progressed. And on 68 minutes they levelled, Jack Compton heading a cross to McCootie who set up Lucas to sweep the ball home from six yards out. Both sides had chances to win the game after this but neither could net again, leaving City with their first draw since Valentines Day and only the second at Twerton Park so far in 2017.