Scott Wilson scored the only goal as Bath City inflicted Welling United’s third league defeat in Rod Stringer’s twenty match tenure.

However, there was plenty of controversy as the Wings found themselves on the wrong end of several officiating decisions.

Stringer’s team started the livelier, yet the hosts had the first goal attempt when Ewan Clark curled wide of the far post. Kieran Parselle had an opportunity shortly after but snatched his volley over before the Wings had a goal effort when Gene Kennedy’s shot flew into the mid-drift of Bath goalkeeper Harvey Wiles-Richards.

Dan Martin found Martell Taylor-Crossdale who crossed to Reece Grant but it was slightly behind him and he hooked over. Grant then tried to reach a cross from Martin but he could only lift it back across goal and Wiles-Richards was able to gather.

Just after the half hour mark the Romans went ahead. Wilson controlled Jordan Tillson’s low cross and fired into the bottom corner.

They created another chance when Kieran Parselle lofted it to Sol Wanjau-Smith and he tried to chest it home, rather than bringing it down, and it rolled wide. Wilson’s shot from twenty yards was taken comfortably by Rhys Lovett. However, it was Welling who had the last effort of the half when Elliot Long’s shot was saved at the near post by Wiles-Richards.

After the half time break Gene Kennedy exchanged passes with Chiori Johnson before poking his shot into the side netting then Tillson fired wide at the other end. A long pass over the top gave Ewan Clark a run at goal. Although he rounded Lovett, the Welling custodian forced him wide, and defenders got back to crowd him out.

Lovett then had to stretch at full length to reach a Jordan Alves cross and could only palm it into the face of Clark whose inadvertent rebound went wide.

As the game moved into the closing stages, Stringer threw Jack Burchell forward but that move was short-lived as the Welling defender was dismissed in controversial circumstances. He and Jack Batten went in on a challenge that left both players prone. Ben Morgan aimed kicked Burchell whilst down and players from both sides got involved. Once everything calmed down, referee Stacey Pearson showed Burchell a second yellow card but, surprisingly, took no action against Morgan.

Infuriated Stringer said too much for the fourth official’s liking and was shown a yellow card before another refereeing decision went against the Wings. Kennedy burst into the penalty area and appeared to be clipped and fell. The referee deemed otherwise and neither awarded a spot kick nor cautioned the Welling player for simulation. It was too much for Welling kit-man, Rob Whitton, and his comments earned him a red card.

When play ended and the officials left the field of play, they were given a standing ovation by the home supporters in the main stand, actions that told their own story.

Next Saturday, Welling entertain Farnborough as they look to get back to winning ways.

Bath City: Wyles-Richards, Raynes, Parselle, Wanjau-Smith (Alves 72), Morgan, Batten, Tillson, Humphrey-Ewers, Wilson, Fisher (Davies), Clark. Sub not used: Davies, Sweeten, Sarda.

Goalscorers: Wilson (33)

Yellow cards: Wilson

Welling United: Lovell, Johnson (Mensah 81(, Martin, Burchell, Winfield, Wells, A. Grant (Cornish 75), Kennedy, Taylor-Crossdale, R. Grant (Bramble 65), Long (Walker 54). Substitutes: Borg, Mensah.

Goalscorers: None

Yellow card: Burchell, A. Grant, Stringer.

Red card: Burchell, Whitton

Referee: Stacey Pearson

Assistants: Graham Pearce and Adam McAnoy

Fourth Official: Jack Bromham

Attendance: 1,063

Images courtesy of Dave Budden