An entertaining game ended level as Welling United moved a point closer to safety at play-off bound Hampton and Richmond Borough.

Antony Papadopoulos had an early shot that went wide for the Wings before they went ahead in the eleventh minute. An excellent through ball by Jason Adigun sent Sonny Fish away and he turned Isaac Pitblado before firing low inside the far post. 

Both teams played a slick passing game at a good pace without creating clear cut chances, the nearest either side coming was a tame Mason Bloomfield shot that rolled wide for Hampton.

Out of the blue, the hosts levelled in the twenty-fifth minute. Ben Seymour threaded it through to Jake Gray and he slotted it beyond a helpless Reice Charles-Cook.

Chiori Johnson gave Fish another opportunity and he cut in and shot but a defender got himself in the way and deflected it beyond the far post.

Gray again caused Welling problems with a pull back to Ruaridh Donaldson who got underneath it and skied it high and wide before Adigun went on a solo run before cutting in and shooting, however, his shot was saved comfortably by Adam Desbois.

Mason Bloomfield then found Gray who shot beyond the far post but it was the Wings who finished the half the stronger and they laid siege to the Hampton goal.

Despite winning a series of corners, they only made a couple of half chances, the first when a cross was just behind Reece Grant and, although he did well to head goalwards, he could not get enough power on it to worry Desbois. Then Adigun’s shot hit Joshua Anifowose and went wide.

Tope Fadahunsi came on for Hampton for the second period and had a shot deflected past the post, then he met a corner with a header that Charles-Cook saved easily. Another Beavers corner then found Dean Inman at the far post but he could only head into the side netting.

Donaldson tried his luck with a cross-shot from out wide that drew another comfortable save out of Charles-Cook before Welling pressed without creating clear cut chances.

Anthony Grant tried his luck with a curler but Luis Fernandez got his head in the way of it and nodded it over. Then Adigun cut in and fired well over.

Alex Gibson-Hammond came close for the visitors with a twenty-five yard shot that fizzed just over before Fernandez again put himself in the firing line to deflect Johnson’s effort past the post. 

Just as they had done in the first half, Welling finished strongly and threw players forward for another series of corners however, they almost paid for it when Gibson-Hammond broke away only to over-run it before the final whistle was blown.

Hampton and Richmond Borough: Desbois, Revan, Pitblado, Deadfield, Fernandez, Inman, Gray, Anifowose (Gibson-Hammond 55), Bloomfield (Fadahunsi 46), Seymour, Donaldson (Thomas 81).

Subs not used: Wishart, Kurran-Browne.

Goalscorers: Gray (25)

Yellow cards: Donaldson

Welling United: Charles-Cook, Johnson, Green, Burchell, Byrd, Di Trolio, Adigun, A. Grant (Kennedy 85), Fish, R. Grant (Amoo 73), Papadopoulos.

Subs not used: Pitterson, Lema, Ellul. 

Goalscorers: Fish (11)

Yellow cards: R. Grant, Papadopoulos

Referee: Oliver Mackey

Assistants: Steven Rea and Rudin Preca 

Attendance: 519

Pictures supplied by Dave Budden.