Following their victory one week earlier, Welling United won another three points against Braintree Town.

At Chippenham, Welling played some good football and carved out three well worked goals however the win against Braintree was far more attritional against a very direct opposition.

Jack Sims made an early save when beating out Harry Hope’s shot before Matt Johnson’s effort was blocked into the path of Correy Davidson but he blasted high and wide.

Femi Akinwande let fly with an attempt that he sliced so badly that it went out for a throw then Nathan Bertram-Cooper was unable to get over a corner and his header sailed over.

As the half approached the midway point, Welling put together the best move of the match. Aaron Barnes was given space to stride forward and he put a pinpoint through ball between the two centre backs to send Ade Shokunbi clear and he wasted no time in slotting it home.

Alfie Payne hit a low first time shot straight at Sims before Welling were forced to make a change when Femi Akinwande fell awkwardly on Teddy Perkins. Che Krabbendam replaced him with Olu Durojaiye dropping back into the defence.

Payne hooked wide and Johnson blasted over from long range before the first half ended.

Early in the second period, Chi Ezennolim went on a strong run but it ran slightly beyond him at the crucial moment and he was unable to send Daniel Carr clear.

Scrappy football followed with Braintree’s main tactic being long throws by Johnson that Welling defended well.

Having defended a corner comfortably, Barnes tried to burst away only to be felled by a shocking challenge by Davidson. A flare up followed and when it ended both Davidson and Dylan Pepe were shown yellow cards.

As Braintree searched for an equaliser, Welling started to catch them on the break and Carr shot straight at Johnson from distance. However the visitors had the last chance of the match when Akinwande got a shot away but Sims was in no mood to relinquish his clean sheet and he made the save.

Welling are now in fourteenth place ahead of next Saturday’s game at Hemel Hempstead Town.

Welling United: Sims, Barnes, Ezennolim, Pepe, Pearce, Perkins (Krabbendam 45 (Akinyemi 74)), Shokunbi, Durojaiye, Carr (Assidjo 90+2), Stevenson, Stewart. Subs not used: Saunders-Henry, Richards.

Goalscorers: Shokunbi (22)

Yellow cards: Stewart, Pepe

Braintree Town: Johnson, Johnson-Schuster, Porter, Johnson, Bertram-Cooper, Pennell, Hope (Crichlow 79), Anderson (Krasniqi 71), Akinwande, Payne, Davidson (Ajvazi 84). Subs not used: Ikbuasi, Clements.

Goalscorers: None

Yellow cards: Anderson, Davidson, Krasniqi

Referee: Steven Hughes

Assistants: Nicholas Cooper and Alex Mathieson

Attendance: 533

Images courtesy of Dave Budden