Goals by Adam Coombes and Dan Walker rocked East Thurrock United as Welling United gathered three points.
Walker might not have played had Pierre Joseph-Dubois not been injured in midweek. However, he took full advantage with an excellent performance.
After Welling’s fringe players had disappointed in their London Senior Cup match on Tuesday, co-caretaker manager, Harry Wheeler, pulled no punches about their lack of effort but those who played on Saturday had no such criticism.
He also stated the need for them to match East Thurrock’s work rate and then let their quality come through and that’s exactly what they did.
Chris Lewington, Welling’s goalkeeper, made what turned out to be his only save of the game in the early minutes from a shot by Sam Higgins.
Christian Nanetti was brought down outside the penalty area and Coombes struck a free kick over the wall that beat the goalkeeper but also the far post.
Lucas Lidakevicius then tipped over a Walker drive then a goalmouth scramble ended with a Coombes shot coming back out off the underside of the bar.
Harry Crawford sent Coombes away and he rounded Lidakevicius but Lee Burns got back to clear off the line.
Higgins fired wide of the far post in a rare East Thurrock foray but Crawford twice came close with headers before the interval.
Early in the second period Nanetti missed a great chance when firing over after being set up by Coombes.
Then the Wings management made a change to the tactics that paid immediate dividends. They switched Crawford and Walker and the latter set up the opening goal. His low near post cross found Coombes at the near post and although Welling’s leading scorer’s point blank effort was kept out by Lidakevicius he was on hand to bundle home his 33rd goal of the season.
Lidakevicius then made a fine save with his legs to keep out Crawford before Danny Waldren headed over another Walker cross.
Both Higgins for East Thurrock and Crawford for Welling were off target before the visitors almost sneaked an unlikely point.
Substitute Kye Ruel let fly from twelve yards but Welling defenders threw themselves into the path of the shot and beat it out.
Three minutes from time, Welling finished the game as a contest. Coombes set up Walker who rounded Lidakevicius before firing home through the legs of former Dartford defender Lee Burns.
Welling United: Lewington, Fish, Brown, Hatton, Hayles, Francis, Walker, Waldren, Crawford, Coombes (Williams 90), Nanetti (Slabber 90).
Subs not used: Johnson, Leacock, Fuseini.
East Thurrock United: Lidakevicius, Freiter, Osifuwa, Burns, Ekpiteta, Wood, Gardner (Honesty 74), Craddock (Ruel 80), Higgins, Heard, Wraight.
Subs not used: Walker, Pardoe.
Welling United:
Goalscorers : Coombes (65), Walker (87)
Yellow cards: Waldren, Nanetti
East Thurrock United:
Goalscorers: None
Yellow cards: Osifuwa
Referee: Alan Dale
Assistants: Matthew Morrison and George Byrne
Attendance: 424
Pictures supplied by Dave Budden.
Welling star player: Adam Coombes