Following the postponement of the return game on New Year’s Day, Welling United and Dartford locked horns on a rare Friday night game at Park View Road.

Darts manager, Tony Burman, was able to give debuts to his two new signings on loan from Cambridge United. Rory McAuley was brought in to try and tighten up the defence and he was an immediate success with a commanding performance.

Andy Pugh was brought in as a like for like for Adam Birchall who has returned to Gillingham. Pugh is no stranger to Park View Road having been a big crowd favourite when playing for Welling.

Wings manager Jamie Day is also keen to bolster his squad but had been unable to sign anyone prior to this match.

After a cagey start, the Darts scored with the first meaningful attack of the match. A little goalmouth pinball fell to Jim Stevenson and the Luton Town loanee made no mistake with a powerful finish.

Welling then lifted the tempo and were aided by Dartford showing a little indiscipline by conceding a succession of free kicks.

Lee Clarke hooked over after Alan Julian could only push out a Jamie Day corner, and it was another Day delivery that brought about the equaliser.

His free kick was heading towards Clarke at the far post but the Welling skipper was bundled over and referee Justin Amey awarded a penalty.

The two managers had differing views of the penalty. Burman was in no doubt that the penalty was a correct call but was not so sure about the free kick leading up to it.

Meanwhile, Day was in no doubt about the free kick and thought that the challenge on Clarke would have been a foul anywhere else on the pitch but conceded that he would have been unhappy had it been given against his team at the other end.

Ross Lafayette stepped up and struck his spot kick firmly to beat Julian who had guessed the right way.

Strangely, the game then returned to a cagey affair with little first half excitement.

Kurtis Guthrie was booked, somewhat harshly, and Dave Martin had an opportunity with a free kick but his driven free kick was blocked out by Baily Cargill.

Unfortunately for Welling, they lost Ross Lafayette two minutes before the break through injury with Luis Cumbers replacing him.

A second change for the Wings was required at the break when Cargill was withdrawn to be replaced by Loui Fazakerley, himself returning from injury.

Dartford started the second half strongly and caused problems with their first corner of the match.

Martin slung in the delivery and Elliot Bradbrook flicked on for Danny Harris at the far post but his effort was blocked away.

Another Martin corner went untouched to the far post and Harris got another shot away that was saved by Wings’ ‘keeper Lee Butcher.

Stevenson flashed an effort wide at one end then Julian had to be out sharply to smother Cumbers’ effort from Clarke’s through ball.

A foul by Martin saw him cautioned but the booking seemed every bit as unnecessary as the one in the first half.

Julian then made the save of the match at full stretch from Harry Beautyman’s long range drive and Joe Healy had the ball in the net but the whistle had already gone for a foul.

After Julian had saved a Day free kick the game appeared to be petering out for a draw but there was almost a sting in the tail in the final minute of injury time.

An almighty scramble in the Welling penalty area resulted in Mat Mitchel-King’s shot being cleared off the line by the outstanding Connor McLaren.

Burman was happy to have halted the losing run “I think we deserved a point and could easily have won it in the second half. You have to be careful against Welling. They’re a very good counter attacking team.”

Day “I thought it was a scrappy game. I’m a little disappointed with the performance and felt that both teams lacked a bit of quality. We’ve drawn too many games in the last couple of months. If you don’t take your chances you can get punished at this level.”

Welling United: Butcher, McLaren, Cargill (Fazakerley 46), Day, Franks, Bergqvist, Beautyman, Clarke, Guthrie, Lafayette (Cumbers 43), Healy.

Unused substitutes:Hughes-Mason, Turner, Joe Obersteller.

Dartford: Julian, Burns, McAuley, Mitchel-King, Sterling, Bradbrook. Stevenson, Harris (Kamara 86), Martin, Pugh (Collier 81),

Unused substitutes: Ibrahim, Hill, Monger.

Referee: Justin Amey

Attendance: 1,336

Welling star man: Connor McLaren

Dartford star man: Rory McAuley

Picture supplied by Dave Budden.