After their midweek defeat Welling United looked set to lose again until Danny Mills stepped up with a late leveller.

They have not lost two in a row under manager Steve King but it took a last minute equaliser from Mills to stop no nonsense Wealdstone going home with all three points.

American president Donald Trump warned off the danger of stones this week but it may not have been Wealdstone that he had in mind.

Tackles from Wealdstone flew in from the opening minutes and it was clear that Nassim L’Ghoul was their main target as Welling started strongly.

However, Wealdstone rode the early pressure and started to cause Welling problems. Connor Stevens headed over from Joe Payne’s cross then David Pratt played Simon Mensah in but he got the ball stuck between his feet and couldn’t get a shot away.

Bradley Hudson-Odoi went down in the penalty area but nothing was doing before Nassim L’Ghoul was shown a very harsh yellow card. Having already been fouled three times it seemed tough that he was booked for his first misdemeanour.

Two minutes later Wealdstone went ahead. A long throw in was only half cleared and when it came back in, Stevens’ marker had gone and he was able to fire home unchallenged.

Pratt crossed low to the back of the penalty area but Jake Sheppard shot wide before Pratt again got clear of the back four but shot wide.

At the other end Matthew Paterson’s side foot volley from Brendan Kiernan’s cross flew over.

Former Ebbsfleet favourite Bradley Bubb then broke through but stabbed his effort into the side netting.

Early in the second period, Wealdstone goalkeeper Jonathan North had a lucky escape when he caught across but then fell into Paterson and the ball fell towards the goal for Bradley Goldberg to knock home. Referee Alex Blake deemed it to be a foul and the goal was disallowed.

Dan Wilks then made a stunning save from a Pratt drive before Welling started to take control.

Mills, who had come on as a substitute for Goldberg, caused the Wealdstone plenty of problems with his control and work-rate bringing the other players into the game.

Kiernan had a difficult low cross well claimed by North before Wealdstone were lucky to keep eleven men on the pitch. Bubb launched himself at L’Ghoul, leaving him in a heap on the touchline, but the Wealdstone striker escaped with a yellow card.

Montel Agyemang then sent over a corner that Kiernan met with a volley that he couldn’t keep down.

L’Ghoul then went on a thrilling run holding off all attempts to foul him but Thierry Audel, who had been thrown forward, delayed his shot and the chance was gone,

However, in the final minute of regulation play, Mills got the goal that his performance deserved. Agyemang went on a surging run before playing a superb reverse pass that evaded North for Mills to finish.

Shaken Wealdstone might have conceded again deep into injury time but Craig Braham-Barrett’s cross-cum-shot curled just wide of the far post.

 

 

Welling United: Wilks, Genovesi, Braham-Barrett, Ijaha (Anau 75), Ambroisine, Audel, L’Ghoul, Agyemang, Paterson, Goldberg (Mills 53), Kiernan.

Subs not used: Mendy, Orlu, Marsh-Brown.

 

Wealdstone: North, Tyler, Payne, Stevens (Green 41), Wilson, Poku, Sheppard, Mensah, Pratt, Bubb Charles 90), Hudson-Odoi (Shomotoh 65).

Subs not used: Clark, Slew.

 

Welling United:

Goalscorers: Mills (90)

Yellow cards: L’Ghoul, Ijaha

Red cards: None

 

Wealdstone:

Goalscorers: Stevens (21)

Yellow cards: Bubb, Payne, Sheppard.

Red cards: None

 

Referee: Alex Blake

Assistants: Farai Hallum and Rhys Battye

 

Attendance: 508

 

Welling star player: Danny Mills

Pictures supplied by Dave Budden.