Just 403 spectators witnessed a disappointing game as injury ravaged Welling United were swept aside comfortably by a physical Braintree Town team.
The Wings were so short of players that they were only able to muster three substitutes.
Alfie Mawson’s free kick that was tipped onto the bar and over gave the Wings early hope but Braintree soon took control winning a string of corners.
Lee Butcher made saves from Sean Marks and Kenny Davis, the latter a stunning tip over, before Welling created another opening.
Captain Lee Clarke measured a through ball that Oluwatobi Sho-Silva clipped just beyond the frame of the goal.
On 35 minutes, Braintree broke the deadlock when Davis drove home following a poor clearance.
James Mulley almost added a second but his shot came back off the post five minutes before the break.
Braintree did double their lead five minutes into the second half through an astonishing refereeing decision. Having been fouled and knocked onto the loose ball, the hapless official stunned everyone in the ground by awarding a penalty and Davis stepped up to score his, and his teams second goal.
Mr Swabey compounded his influence on the game by then refusing a penalty when Hudson was again flattened, this time at the other end.
Sean Marks and Daniel Sparkes both shot over, and Butcher saved a first time effort from Mulley as the Braintree man whipped in a first time effort.
Clarke, Sho-Silva and Jake Gallagher all had half chances for Welling but the Iron held out comfortably.
There was time for one last example of the referee’s ineptitude when he cautioned Sho-Silva as well as Chez Isaac after the latter had fouled the Wings’ striker.
Welling United: Butcher, Taylor (Beautyman 59), Williams, Gallagher, Hudson, Mawson, Fazakerley, Clarke, Sho-Silva, Wakefield, Healy (Karagiannis 59).
Unused substitute: Day.
Braintree Town: Hamman, Peters, Habergham, Isaac, Paine, Davis, Marks, Sparkes (Jakubiak 90), Wells, Laurent, Mulley (Daley 77).
Unused substitutes: McDonald, Holman, Holdsworth.
Referee: Lee Swabey
Attendance: 403
Welling star man: Josh Wakefield
Pictures supplied by Dave Budden.