Defeat at Dorking Wanderers continued Welling United’s record of never having taken a point from the Surrey based club.

It was the fifth league meeting between the two teams. Unusually, four of the five encounters between the two teams have taken place at the Meadowbank stadium. That is due to the Wings twice visiting in seasons that were curtailed due to Covid-19 before Dorking could make the return visit.

Some of the defeats have been heavy, but on this occasion, Welling could have come away with something despite a first half injury to goalkeeper Rhys Lovett meaning that midfielder TJ Bramble had to take over between the posts for almost an hour.

After Jack Young sent an early shot wide for the hosts, Jason Prior’s firm strike was well saved by Lovett. Welling then had their first attempt when Chiori Johnson met Gene Kennedy’s square pass with a clean hit that went over off the crossbar.

Moments later, Welling fell behind when Josh Brooking headed forward, Dave Winfield nodded it back and Lovett was unable to hold on. Prior was first to it and squared for Alfie Rutherford to finish from point blank range.

Harrison Foulkes made a good save from Bramble after he diverted a Johnson cross towards the far post before Elliot Long also tested the Dorking goalkeeper with a low strike from the edge of the penalty area.

As half time approached, Prior headed across goal and as Lovett jumped up to claim, Rutherford leapt into him causing both to land in a heap. A lengthy stoppage ensued before both had to be replaced. As Welling had no goalkeeper on the bench, Bramble took over between the sticks and Garrett Kelly took his place in midfield.

Due to the long break, eleven minutes of stoppage time were played but Bramble wasn’t tested.

Early in the second period, Jimmy Muitt cut in from the right and fired low towards the bottom corner but Bramble was equal to it, albeit in an unorthodox manner by kicking it off the goal-line. He repeated the trick moments later when using his left boot to clear a similar effort by Brooking off the line.

At the other end, Anointed Chukwu chased a long pass down the channel a high bounce off the artificial surface meant that it wouldn’t come done quickly enough causing him to fire over.

Twelve minutes remained when Dorking scored the crucial second goal out of the blue. Theo Alexandrou flicked it over the head of Sam Cornish before volleying an unstoppable effort into the top corner.

Bramble again used his trusted method of saving when his left boot cleared another Brooking shot off the line before the visitors pulled one back six minutes before the end of normal time. Tony Craig passed back to Foulkes and with Welling strikers chasing it down, he chose to pick it up, rather than kick it out. An indirect free kick, fifteen yards out, was awarded, and Kennedy laid it back to Chukwu. The Wings’ leading scorer fired low and Johnson toe-poked it past the Dorking goalkeeper.

Although, there were still ten minutes remaining, including stoppage time, Welling couldn’t find a leveller. Substitute Charlie Pegrum shot over from twenty-five yards, then Chukwu had a last gasp effort saved by Foulkes.

Welling United: Lovett (Kelly 44 (Redfearn 68)), Johnson, Martin (Osew 79), Statham, Winfield, Lankshear, Cornish, Kennedy, Chukwu, Long (Pegrum 79), Bramble. Sub not used: Donkor.