Both teams had enforced changes as Welling United hosted Margate in the return fixture from Boxing Day.

Chris Lewington pulled up injured in the first meeting so Welling brought back Harry Girling for his second spell on loan from Millwall.

Harry Phipps’ departure to Maidstone United and Nathan Fox’s loan expiry meant that Margate also had to make changes. Ira Jackson, their new loan signing from Dover, came in for his first start and Chris Sessegnon returned to the team with Alex Henshall dropping to the bench.

Although this game might have looked like a six pointer on paper, the two teams were at polar opposites in the form guide. Welling came into the game on the back of six consecutive wins in league and cup matches. Meanwhile, Margate had lost every match in November and December.

Once Welling had gone ahead, there was no danger of the odds being upset.

Lewis Taylor for the visitors and Harry Crawford for the Wings were both off target in the early stages. Then Rickie Hayles drew a comfortable save out of Valery Pajetat.

Christian Nanetti, who had terrorised the Margate defence in the first game, received a pass from Adam Coombes and cut across the edge of the penalty. However, he was unable to get his foot around the ball sufficiently and his shot flew wide.

Nanetti was also involved in the opening goal. His perfectly weighted pass sent Crawford away and the former Dartford striker fired into the bottom corner.

Seven minutes later, Welling made it two. Pajetat made a great reaction save from Francis but as the Welling captain started to make his way back to his defensive position it fell to him. He looked up and fired a low shot into the bottom corner from twenty yards.

Pajetat made a couple of regulation saves from Matt Fish and Sam Hatton before Welling went three up. Jordan Brown was the creator with a cross that George Oakley rose to head home.

It looked only a matter of time before Welling scored again but it was Margate who notched the next one just before the break. Taylor’s free kick found Jackson and he marked his debut with a crisp volley that gave Girling no chance.

Ten minutes into the second half, Francis added his second and Welling’s fourth. Nanetti slung in a low free kick and Francis flicked first time beyond the helpless Pajetat.

Coombes didn’t want to miss out and added a fifth at the end of a flowing quick passing move that left him one on one with Pajetat. Although the busy goalkeeper managed to half block the first effort, he could only watch on as Coombes fired into the empty net.

Oakley came close to making it six when Nanetti sent him away but he could not hit the target from a tight angle having rounded Pajetat.

Both teams made substitutions and seemed to settle with what they had as the game closed out with Welling enjoying the lion’s share of the possession without creating further opportunities.

Jamie Day, Welling’s manager, was happy’. “I thought, for the first 35 minutes we were very good, then we got a bit sloppy for the last ten minutes and they got a goal. But then I thought, second half we got back to where we were. We’ve just got to keep it going.

His Margate counterpart, Nikki Bull, was less content and thought that his team did have the stomach for the fight. “Today, a few of them showed me that they’re not that type of player. When at the bottom like we are, and on the run that we’re in, we need soldiers.”

Welling United: Girling, Fish, Brown, Hatton, Hayles (Fuseini 83), Francis, Nanetti (Walker 74), Waldren, Crawford, Coombes, Oakley (Joseph-Dubois 83). Subs not used: Johnson, Williams.

Margate: Pajetat, Sessegnon (Donelly 83), Cooney, Richefond, Moore-Azille, Johnson, Adelakun (Foster 71), Taylor, Akindayini, Jackson, Banya (Fanimo 71). Subs not used: Williams, Henshall.

Referee: Sam Purkiss

Assistants: Steven Hughes and Christopher Bodell

Attendance: 626

Man of the match: Sean Francis

Images courtesy of Dave Budden