In the battle of the Wellings, it was the visitor’s who claimed the spoils with a thoroughly professional performance.

Both teams played with great endeavour and worked hard for their respective management teams but United’s greater quality shone through in the game played at Erith.

It took the Wings less than ten minutes to go ahead when a trialist striker got on the end of a great move down the right wing to sweep home from close range.

Dipo Akinyemi twice came close, first having a shot turned round the post by young Nathan Ross then dragging a shot beyond the post from the edge of the area.

Sam Bailey had a free kick deflected wide for the Boots and from the corner, chaos ensued but Dan Wilks positioned himself perfectly to make two point-blank range blocks.

That was the Boots’ big chance and they paid the price soon after when the tall Welling trialist rose to meet a cross and loop a header back over the helpless Ross for his second goal of the night.

Soon after he will wonder how he didn’t complete a first half hat-trick when more good work down the right presented him with an opportunity that he side-footed high and wide. He was then thwarted by an excellent save by Ross.

Another trialist should have made it three but skied over after Ross had been unable to hold onto Akinyemi’s stinging drive before the Wings did go further ahead courtesy of a delightful chip from their marauding right back.

Montel Agyemang and Akinyemi both drew saves out of Ross before Bailey forced a reasonably comfortable one out of Wilks just before the interval.

Veteran striker Ryan Golding came on for the Boots at the start of the second period and he had the first goal effort with a shot that was claimed by Wilks. Town’s manager Kevin Oakes was then forced into an unexpected substitution when Jhoan Tabima went down injured and was replaced by Michael Cody.

Ross showed his strong positional awareness to block away a shot with his feet but was powerless to stop the Wings from adding a fourth through Phil Roberts after good work down the left side.

United substitute Korrey Henry was next to be thwarted by the feet of Ross then it was the Wings’ manager, Brad Quinton, who was forced into making an unscheduled change as Roberts went down with a dead-leg.

Having been replaced at half time, Rooney was allowed to return in the latter stages and his cross was headed over by another impressive trialist before Henry went on a surging run but was forced into running slightly away from goal and was unable to find the net with his shot.

In the final minute, the Wings completed the scoring when another substitute was first to a through ball, drawing Ross out then turning back to finish from an acute angle.

Welling Town: Ross, Amoah, Muckle, Tabima, Afoke, Simms, Jimoh, Batchilly, Bennett, Montoya, Bailey. Substitutes: Cody, Benyoucef, Clarke, Nelson, Arthur-Dede, Eshilokun, Golding, Bewick, Wright.

Images courtesy of Dave Budden