Neither did their chances of pulling away from the relegation zone much chance as Welling United and Dartford played out a tough draw.

Rather like a boxing match, the two teams came out slugging. While Welling were dancing around looking for openings, Dartford looked for the knock out punch and the first half was a fine advert for non league football.

Welling drew first blood when Harry Beautyman claimed his seventh goal of the season. Ben Jefford was the provider with a whipped in free kick that Beautyman touched beyond Jason Brown with the deftest of flicks.

Peter Sweeney levelled for Dartford five minutes later when played in by Luke Daley, he finished with a firm drive into the bottom corner.

Three minutes later, Welling went back ahead. Beautyman turned provider with a deep corner that Jamal Fyfield met with an imperious header into the back of the net.

For all Welling’s pretty approach play, Dartford created the better chances and it took a brilliant Jon Henly save to keep out Mat Mitchel-King’s firm header from Sweeney’s free kick.

Big appeals for a Dartford penalty for handball were turned away and Henly was called upon to make another great save, this time thwarting Rory McAuley.

Captain Elliot Bradbrook levelled ten minutes before the break when another Mitchel-King throw caused havoc. Although Bradbrook’s first effort was blocked, it fell kindly for him and he fired home at the second attempt.

After all the first half action, the second period lacked goalmouth action.

There was no faulting the players for endeavour, but they were unable to create too many openings although the tireless Tyrone Marsh made space for himself before curling an effort that Brown had to push around the post.

As players tired, tempers got a little frayed and there was a flare up when Beautyman kicked an uncontested drop ball off for a throw.

Deep into injury time, Brown snuffed out Welling’s last hope by claiming Loui Fazakerley’s through ball at the feet of Joe Healy.

 

Welling United: Henly, Williams, Jefford, Corne, Bush, Fyfield, Beautyman, Gallagher, Bassele (Fazakerley 56), Marsh (Nouble 78), Healy.

Unused substitutes: Turner, Fagan, Hudson.

Dartford: Brown, Bender, McAuley, Bradbrook (E), Daley (Pugh 80), Harris (Cornhill 90), Mitchel-King, Collier, Sweeney, Burns, Bradbrook (T) (Crawford 65).

Unused substitutes Hayes, Ibrahim.

Referee: Dean Treleaven

Attendance: 1.306

Welling star man: Jamal Fyfield

Dartford star man: Nathan Collier

 

Pictures supplied by Dave Budden.