Hopes that playing at home and on grass would improve Welling United’s results proved unfounded as they collapsed to their heaviest defeat of the season.

Visitors, Chelmsford City, had failed to score more than once in any of their previous games this season but enjoyed the generosity of Welling’s defence to score four unanswered goals.

They started by having a lot more of the possession than the Wings but it was the hosts who created the first clear cut opportunities. Dipo Akinyemi had a fierce near post drive beaten away by Lee Worgan then Rowan Liburd used his strength to find space in the penalty area before laying back for Reuben Duncan but he placed his shot over the bar.

At the other end, Chelmsford created an opening that Alex Teniola could not send goal-wards at the near post before Welling created another chance when Liburd found Akinyemi and he cut in and shot but Worgan was equal to it with another good save.

Daniel Boateng might have earned Welling a penalty but stayed on his feet despite a firm double hand push in the back before Welling’s problems with dead ball situations became evident again when a half cleared corner fell for former Wing Cameron James to try his luck but his shot flew well wide.

Lionel Ainsworth shot straight at Worgan before James chanced his arm again from twenty yards but was well off target. Akinyemi broke through down the left hand side but was off balance when he shot and skewed it well wide.

As the game approached injury time, Anthony Cook fouled another ex-Welling player, Phil Roberts, and Teniola gave Reice Charles-Cook no chance from the penalty spot.

Soon after the break, the Clarets should have scored again. Callum Harrison’s free kick picked out Elliott Ward who headed across goal and found central defensive partner Adebola Oluwo in acres of space two yards out but somehow he managed to blast his shot over.

The let off was short lived though as after Charles-Cook had made a brilliant save from Anthony Church, it came back to the Chelmsford midfielder and he made no mistake with a powerful strike.

Liburd had a chance to reduce the arrears but Worgan made a great stop with his left leg and substitute Ben Ward-Cochrane had a half chance to mark his debut with a goal but flicked Cook’s near post corner into the side-netting.

Church made it three when meeting Harrison’s deep free kick untended and he made no mistake with a close range first time shot.

Once more, Liburd tested Worgan but the Chelmsford stopper was again up to the task when making an excellent strong one handed tip-over. Soon after, the Clarets added a fourth when the Welling defence got into a terrible mess allowing Adam Liddle a simple finish.

Brad Quinton is going to have to pick up his team quickly ahead of their difficult trip to Concord Rangers on Tuesday night.

Welling United: Charles-Cook, Hobbs, Green, Duncan (Headley 55), Boateng, Olagunju, Cook, Blackman, Akinyemi (Ward-Cochrane 66), Liburd, Ainsworth (Ilic 55). Subs not used: Shokunbi, Ryan.

Goalscorers: None

Yellow cards: Green, Ainsworth

Red cards: None

Chelmsford City: Worgan, Imray, James (Kpekawa), Church, Oluwo, Ward, Liddle (Morgan), Isaac, Teniola, Harrison, Roberts (Wraight). Subs not used: Spillane, Simpson.

Goalscorers: Teniola pen (45), Church (54 & 71), Liddle (78)

Yellow cards: Harrison

Red cards: None

Referee: Joel Mannix

Assistants: Paul Stratton and Rhys Battye