Having beaten Hemel Hempstead Town for the first ever time early in December, Welling United completed the double with an excellent victory in the return game.

Dipo Akinyemi scored his first Welling goal in the 11th minute and despite the dismissal of Bradley Rolt shortly before the interval, Welling didn’t sit back and Korrey Henry made sure that they would claim the three points when adding a second with 13 minutes remaining.

Welling came out showing their attacking intent and Anthony Cook and Cameron James both fired over early on.

Dan Wilks had to be watchful when saving a long range grubber from Jacques Kpohomouh before Welling went ahead. Rolt sent Akinyemi away and he chopped back to wrong foot the Hemel defence before firing into the top corner.

James Dobson, on debut, created most of the problems that Hemel posed in the first half with his long throws and good deliveries. Wilks made a good save from one of his free kicks and Isaac Galliford’s follow up was cleared off the line by Connor Dymond.

Jack Midson then had a header well saved before Welling took control. Nathan Green’s free kick came out to James and his shot was saved brilliantly by the outstretched boot of goalkeeper Danny Boness.

Boness repeated the trick shortly afterwards when kicking Dymond’s header off the line before he made a flying save to turn Cook’s free kick around the post.

Romoney Crichlow-Noble did beat him from fully 35 yards but it was just too high and swished the top netting.

Galliford shot wide of the near post before the referee had two big decisions to make in three minutes, both of which went in favour of the hosts. First, Midson escaped with a yellow card when forearm smashing Crichlow-Noble in the face. Rolt, however, was not so fortunate as he saw red for leaving Tyrone Sterling in a heap.

Brad Quinton reorganised his team by replacing Phil Roberts with Chiori Johnson and had the half time interval to work on the revised shape.

Although they went for a containing game, they were not lacking in ambition up front and Green had the first shot of the second half but it was deflected wide for a corner. Cook then had another free kick saved before Hemel missed a gilt edged chance when Deon Moore fired over from close range.

Rob Sinclair had a shot deflected over and Connor Essam headed Dobson’s free kick wide before an almighty goalmouth scramble ended when Galliford hacked his shot well wide.

Quinton then brought on Henry to replace the limping Akinyemi who had led the front line superbly and he scored the all important second goal six minutes later. It was a moment that Boness will want to forget as he dropped James’ corner for Henry to fire home gleefully.

James then missed a great chance to make it three when Henry’s shot was beaten out to him but he fired wide before Wilks made one more fine save when keeping out Moore’s header.

After that, Welling didn’t look troubled again and were soon celebrating an excellent victory.

Hemel Hempstead Town: Boness, Kpohomouh (Moore 46), Grant (Dickenson 69), Howell (Howells 59), Essam, Sterling, Popo, Galliford, Sinclair, Midson, Dobson.

Subs not used: Halliday, Beasant.

Welling United: Wilks, Dymond, Green, Crichlow-Noble, Joseph, Wright, James, Rolt, Akinyemi (Henry 71), Roberts (Johnson 43) (Cosgrave 90+), Cook.

Subs not used: Goldberg, McCallum.

Goalscorers: Akinyemi (11), Henry (77)

Referee: Mark Howes 

Attendance: 467

Pictures supplied by Dave Budden.