Ten-man Welling United claimed a well merited point at Concord Rangers.

They looked well in control for the first twenty minutes and had already come close when Stefan Payne’s header from Taylor Maloney’s corner came back off the bar.

However, two harsh yellow cards in three minutes for Sid Nelson meant that the complexion of the game changed.

Despite having to sacrifice striker Ade Azeez to bring on Manny Parry, Welling still went ahead.

Payne held it up well and laid it back for Maloney and he struck it sweetly giving Mitch Beeney no chance in the Concord goal.

Nana Kyei got in at the far post, but Sam Cox made a great last-ditch challenge, and the Welling player coach made another excellent tackle to stop D’sean Theobalds.

Ten minutes before half time, the Beachboys drew level. Theobalds’ low cross was back-heeled by Mo Bettamer, and it fell into the path of Louis Ramsay who thrashed it home from inside the six-yard box.

Former Bromley striker Ben Williamson thought he had put the hosts ahead with a header, but James Dunne headed off the line before Myles Roberts struggled to hold a Theobalds shot but scrambled to claim it before it got too far away from him.

After the interval, Welling came close when Payne’s shot came back off the legs of Beeney before Cameron Andrews was brought down by a worse tackle than either of Nelson’s two yellow card offences, but no booking was issued to Theobalds, the perpetrator. Maloney took the free kick but thrashed it well over.

Ricky Modeste sliced a shot high and wide before Welling had another opportunity however Payne couldn’t get out of the way of Maloney’s drive.

Ramsay’s blatant handball on the edge of the Concord penalty area went unpunished and gave Saleem Akanbi the chance to break away but he couldn’t hit the target before Medy Elito almost embarrassed Beeney with a shot that the goalkeeper fluffed around the post.

In the closing minutes Welling had one more chance when Maloney’s header from Andrews’ cross flew inches over before Roberts had to claw out Akanbi’s cross that was sneaking under the bar.

Kyei had one final opportunity in the last minute of stoppage time, but it would have been tough on Welling had it gone anywhere other than straight at Roberts.

Concord Rangers: Beeney, Popo, Ramsay, Blackman, Pollock, Wallace, Modeste (Akanbi 65), Theobalds, Williamson, Bettamer, Kyei.

Subs not used: Missing, Hernandez, Tunsaam.

Goalscorers: Ramsay (35)

Yellow cards: Pollock

Welling United: Roberts, Cox, Ezennolim, Dunne, Nelson, Sendles-White, Andrews, Elito (Barnes 90+3), Payne, Azeez (Parry 22), Maloney.

Subs not used: Kasim, Papadopoulos, McKenzie.

Goalscorers: Maloney (24)

Yellow cards: Nelson, Feeney, Andrews, Payne, Dunne

Red card: Nelson

Referee: Harry Wager

Assistants: James Keane and Kieran Bailey

Attendance: 409

Pictures supplied by Dave Budden.