Local derbies can throw up surprise results but there was no shock at Park View Road when Ebbsfleet United defeated Welling United.

Coming into the game the visitors were in fifth place with the Wings bottom, so some might not have expected Welling to go ahead in the seventh minute. Harvey Bradshaw crossed, and Tom Derry showed the desire to get in front of his man to head home.

Looking for a quick response, Ben Chapman delivered a deep cross that picked out Shaq Coulthirst, but he could only head straight at Coniah Boyce-Clarke in the Welling goal.

Chris Solly had a scare in an otherwise immaculate performance when he sliced a Dipo Akinyemi cross. It might have gone anywhere, but he was relieved to see it go straight into the arms of goalkeeper Louie Moulden.

Although the visitors enjoyed a lot of possession, they struggled to break down the Welling defence but that changed eight minutes before the half time interval. Rakish Bingham’s header from a free kick was well saved by Boyce-Clarke but it came back out off the inside of the post and Alex Finney reacted the quickest to force it home. 

Coulthirst had a shot blocked by Maxwell Statham before Moulden got down well to save Marcus Sablier’s shot after Dipo Akinyemi’s initial effort was blocked. That proved pivotal as Ebbsfleet went ahead two minutes before half time. Ade Shokunbi brought down Craig Tanner in the penalty area and Bingham sent Boyce-Clarke the wrong way from the spot.

In the third minute of the second half, the Fleet scored again. Coulthirst hit a shot from fifteen yards out that Jamie Sendles-White could only divert past his own goalkeeper, and it rolled slowly over the line.

Akinyemi tried his arm with a free kick that was saved easily by Moulden then Brad Stevenson delivered another free kick and found Bradbury, but he headed over.

Bingham had a shot saved brilliantly by Boyce-Clarke before the Fleet striker played a one-two with Jack Paxman but slid his effort beyond the far post.

Moulden made a good low save from Akinyemi’s long range shot before Ebbsfleet scored their fourth, their tenth against Welling this season. Tanner got down the right and Dominic Poleon moved it with quick feet to make space to shoot beyond Boyce-Clarke.

Although beaten, Welling did not lie down, and Sendles-White headed wide from an Alfie Matthews free kick.

Tanner tried his luck from a free kick, but Boyce-Clarke saved easily then Elliott Romain shot over after Poleon set him up.

However, Welling had the last say when a clearance fell into the path of Shokunbi and his first time volley gave Moulden no chance.

Victory for the Fleet moved them up to fourth place with a spot in the play-offs almost guaranteed while Welling remain bottom of the league with six to play.

Welling United: Boyce-Clarke, Statham, Barnes, Shokunbi, Sendles-White, Curran (Pearce 72), Sablier (Wells 54), Stevenson (Matthews 68), Bradshaw, Derry, Akinyemi.

Subs not used: Allen, Burnett.

Goalscorers: Derry (7). Shokunbi (90+2)

Yellow cards: Derry, Barnes, Sendles-White

Ebbsfleet United: Moulden, Paxman (Mekki 87), Chapman, Jombati, Solly, Finney (Wood 72), Romain, N’Guessan, Bingham, Coulthirst (Poleon 62), Tanner.

Subs not used: Domi, Mekki, Haigh.

Goalscorers: Finney (37). Bingham pen (43), Coulthirst (48), Poleon (78)

Yellow cards: Bingham

Referee: Ruebyn Ricardo

Assistants: Kieran Bailey and Callum Parke

Attendance: 951

Pictures supplied by Dave Budden.