There was more disappointment for Welling United as they were blitzed at home by Chippenham Town.

Less than thirteen minutes had passed by the time the contest was as good as over with the visitors three goals to the good.

Very early on, it looked like it could be a good afternoon for the Wings. However, in the eighth minute, Tom Owen-Evans made the most of some sloppy Welling control in their own half and found Harry Parsons. He clipped it through to Leone Gravata who polished it off from close range.

Three minutes later, Owen-Evans got through easily and passed it across goal for Harry Parsons to apply a trade-mark finish. Then, the Bluebirds added their third in a five minute spell when Gravata squared for Owen-Evans to tuck away at the far post.

It took over thirty minutes before Welling had a shot on target. They were awarded a free kick outside the penalty area and Martell Taylor-Crossdale beat the defensive wall, but not goalkeeper Will Henry who dived to push it around the post.

Shortly afterwards, Welling might have had a penalty for handball and Zain Walker was so incensed when it was not awarded that his protests earned him a yellow card.

Parsons thought that debutant Jordan Gillmore was too far out of his goal and tried his luck from forty-five yards, but the Welling goalkeeper was back in position by the time that the shot floated past his goal.

Freddie Grant had a chance to make it four just before the half time interval from a Luke Spokes free kick, but glanced his header wide when he would have expected to hit the target.

Rod Stringer responded at the break by making a triple change and they had another good shout for a penalty when Gene Kennedy was clattered by Grant as he tried to clip Chiori Johnson’s low cross home.

Another Taylor-Crossdale free kick was well saved by Henry before his shot flew just beyond the far post.

Gillmore was then called into action again when Parsons beat the offside trap and had a one versus one opportunity but the Welling goalkeeper wasn’t fooled into going down too early, and was able to block the shot.

Thirteen minutes remained when the Bluebirds did add a fourth. With Welling throwing players forward, they found themselves outnumbered at the back. Owen-Evans and Matt McClure exchanged passes before the former fired home for his second goal of the afternoon.

Once more, Taylor-Crossdale went for goal but fired wide from twenty-five yards before Kennedy had a shot blocked. Elliot Long also had an effort beaten out by a defender then, at the other end, Gillmore saved comfortably from McClure.

Dan Martin’s attempt that was sliced wide at the end summed up Welling’s afternoon and they now have to prepare for the difficult task of a Tuesday night match at league leaders Eastbourne Borough.

Welling United: Gillmore, Johnson, Martin, Cornish (Kelly 46), Winfield, Statham, Kennedy, Bramble (Chukwu 42), Taylor-Crossdale, Pegrum (Long 46), Walker (Burchell 46). Sub not used: Donkor.

Goalscorers: None.

Yellow cards: Winfield, Walker, Statham

Chippenham Town: Henry, Bray, Johnson (King 71), Spokes, Haines, Grant Andrews, Mehew (Colwell 83), Parsons (McClure 72), Owen-Evans (Bradbury 83), Gravata (Williams 86). Subs not used: None.

Goalscorers: Gravata (8), Parsons (11), Owen-Evans (13), (77)

Yellow cards: Johnson, Haines

Referee: Tommy Breen

Assistants: Benjamin McDonald and Edward Smith

Fourth Official: Oliver Morris-Saunders

Attendance: 554

Images courtesy of Dave Budden