Traffic problems meant that Welling United manager Loui Fazakerley was forced into making changes but it did not stop the team from claiming a crucial three points.
Jake Gallagher, Jonathan Henly and Ben Jefford all arrived too late to start so Michael McEntegart took the goalkeeper’s jersey, Chris Bush replaced Jefford and Zac Fagan started in centre midfield. 18 year Sam Corne was entrusted with the skipper’s armband.
Loui Fazakerley admitted afterwards that although they had arrived in sufficient time to play, he felt that the players he had picked instead should start. None of them let him down.
On Saturday, he had been disappointed in the Wings’ slow start so was delighted with their positivity in the early stages of the game against Wrexham, unbeaten for the previous four games.
They were rewarded with a goal after just six minutes when Sam Berry headed Dominic Vose’s pinpoint corner past Andy Coughlin.
Kieron St. Aimie fired over from the edge of the penalty area before the Wings increased their lead. It looked as if Vose had over-hit his pass but Ross Lafayette showed great skill in controlling it, holding it up, and then laying back for Vose to fire home.
Lafayette hit the post but was offside anyway but Welling looked comfortable throughout the first half even though they were forced to make a change through injury to Reece Harris.
Presumably, there were stern words in the Wrexham dressing room at the break as they came out with much more intensity.
Neil Ashton shot over and Connor Jennings was thwarted by a brilliant last man tackle by Michael Chambers.
Kieron St. Aimie shot wide before McEntegart was called into serious action, first saving from Jennings, then tipping over a looping header.
It appeared that Welling were weathering the storm until Andy Bishop made the most of an out of character miss-placed Sam Corne pass and gave McEntegart no chance with a crisp finish,
Wings supporters, who remembered their team conceding in the 84th and 86th minutes at Wrexham might have feared that history was about to repeat itself.
Rob Evans looked like he might be the man to do just that but headed straight at McEntegart when well placed.
Sam Finley and Kyle Storer were both off target before McEntegart made the save from Jennings in injury time.
Victory for the Wings took them above Alfreton whose manager, Nicky Laws, was in the crowd but he could have no complaints about Wrexham going through the motions.
Afterwards Fazakerley was delighted with the way his team were able to grind out the result. “We had to weather a big storm. Credit to every single body on the pitch.”
Welling United: McEntegart, Osborne, Harris (Jefford 34), Berry, Chambers, Bush, Fagan (Gallagher 74), Corne, St. Aimie, Lafayette (Akinde 80), Vose.
Unused substitutes: Henly, Young.
Wrexham: Coughlin, Ashton, Smith, Hudson, Clarke (Evans 78), Harris (Moult 54), Bishop, Tomassen, Jennings, Storer, Finlay.
Unused substitutes: York, Stephens, Roper
Referee: Colin Lymer
Assistants: Alexander Guy & Paul Burnham
4th Official: Craig Green
Welling star man: Michael McEntegart
Attendance: 612
Pictures supplied by Dave Budden.