New look Welling United were beaten by Hemel Hempstead Town in their first home game of the season.

Having lost heavily at Truro City, Wings’ manager Danny Bloor was looking for a reaction and he got one, to an extent, but not sufficiently to claim any points.

They started slowly with the visitors having the better of the early exchanges. George Williams picked out Chris Smith with a far post corner but Welling goalkeeper Ben Winterbottom got across and blocked Smith’s header at close range.

Reece Grant then got on the end of a long clearance and lobbed the out-rushing Winterbottom but was dismayed to watch it float wide.

However, once Welling had settled they enjoyed a good spell and came close themselves. TJ Bramble won a tackle in midfield and found Jephcote Tanga. He slipped in Alex MacAllister whose dinked effort beat goalkeeper Craig King, but also the far post.

Antony Papadopoulos was twice off target with long range efforts before Hemel were reduced to ten men on the stroke of half time. Former Wing Alfie Matthews had already been cautioned but still flew in recklessly at Bramble and was shown a second yellow card.

For the second half, Hemel manager Brad Quinton reverted to a formation of two banks of four in an effort to stifle the Wings and catch them on the counter-attack.

Cameron Green passed to Bramble who shot over before the Tudors broke and won a corner. Kyle O’Connor-Ajayi lost his marker but headed well off target.

Will Wood delivered a corner at the other end that found Taofiq Olomowewe whose header drew a good save out of Craig King before Dominic Odusanya tried his luck with a scissors volley that went wide.

Williams went close at the other end when getting in down the right hand side but his clipped effort was deflected past the far post by Winterbottom.

Fifteen minutes remained on the clock when the referee evened up the numbers. Bramble’s tackle on Joe Re was hard but didn’t appear to be excessive however, the official felt otherwise and produced a straight red card.

Three minutes later, the visitors broke the deadlock. Papadopoulos was deemed to have fouled substitute Tyrese Briscoe in the penalty area and Williams smashed the spot-kick straight down the middle.

Kain Adom had a shot tipped over by King before Welling had one last opportunity in stoppage time. Amadou Kassarate hit the pass of the day with a raking diagonal cross that picked out Adom. The striker rose and headed wide, unaware that King had come out and stopped, leaving him stranded.

Bloor’s team will have an immediate chance to bounce back with a home game against Chelmsford City on Tuesday evening.

Welling United: Winterbottom, Wood (Adom 68), Papadopoulos, Vaughan, Olomowewe, Burchell, Tanga, Bramble, MacAllister (Isiaka 74), Bramble, Odusnya (Kassarate 83). Sub not used Kamara, Byrd.

Goalscorers: None

Yellow cards: Tanga, Odusanya, Olomowewe, Vaughan. Green

Red card: Bramble

Hemel Hempstead Town: King; McKenzie, J. Williams, Re, Smith, O’Connor-Ajayi, G, Williams, Re, Iaciofano (Briscoe 55), Grant (Sayou 84), Krasniqi. Subs not used: Taylor, Hill, Corrigan.

Goalscorers: G. Williams pen (79)

Yellow cards: Matthews, J. Williams

Red Card: Matthews

Referee: Eugene Robinson

Assistants: Samuel Everitt and Joshua Jones

Attendance: 527

Images courtesy of Dave Budden