Away day woes struck Welling United again as they crashed to Vanarama National League South defeat at Weston-super-Mare.

On a bitterly cold afternoon at the Optima Stadium, Welling never looked likely to get the points required to move them out of the bottom three.

There could have been controversy early in the game when Josh Chambers was fouled on the edge of the Weston penalty area. While Welling were expecting a free kick, the hosts broke away allowing Jordan Bastin a shooting opportunity which he fired across the face of goal.

Dayle Grubb almost caught Reice Charles-Cook out with a shot that the Welling custodian pushed onto the post and caught as it came back out. Grubb was again in the thick of it when the Seagulls broke quickly from a Welling corner but his shot was deflected and looped into the grateful arms of Charles-Cook.

Bastin got on the end of another clever Weston move only to shoot straight at Charles-Cook before Welling had a great chance to go ahead when Chambers found Cameron Green. He picked out Tristan Abrahams with a driven cross but the Wings’ leading scorer side-foot volleyed over from close range.

That miss proved costly when the hosts went ahead shortly after. Reuben Reid met a Grubb corner with a glancing header that found its way into the net.

Robbie Wilmott set up another chance for Reid with a pull back that the Seagulls’ talisman struck over with a first time shot, then Grubb pulled an effort just wide. James Morton had the last chance of the first half with a curling effort that went beyond the far post.

Nine minutes into the second half, Welling levelled. Jephte Tanga surged into the penalty area and was felled by Bastin. Abrahams stepped up and, although Max Harris got strong hand to it, the strike had enough power to hit the back of the net.

Any hopes that Welling supporters had of their team building on that were left in tatters when Weston went back ahead four minutes later. Wilmott crossed from the right, and in his efforts to intercept it, Will Wood could only head it into his own net.

James Dodd had a shot beaten out before Reid snatched an effort wide from Bastin’s pull back. It wasn’t all one way though, and Dominic Odusanya had a drive tipped away, then Lachlan Byrd’s header floated over Harris and came back out off the crossbar.

Tanga had a low shot saved by Harris before the hosts made the game safe when adding a third with fifteen minutes remaining. Morton crossed deep to the far post and Reid gave Charles-Cook no chance from close range.

Abrahams turned superbly when meeting Rob Howard’s cross but didn’t get a clean strike on it and Harris saved before Morton added a fourth with a good finish from Willmott’s low cross.

Chambers scored his first goal in Welling colours in the latter stages when Tanga crossed to him, but it was too little too late, and it took an excellent save by Charles-Cook from Bastin’s drive to stop Welling conceding five for the third time in the league this season.

Danny Bloor will have to assess the fitness of his players quickly as the Wings are on the road again on Monday when visiting Aveley.

Weston-super-Mare: Harris, Pope, Bastin, Cane, Humphries, Avery, Willmott (Mannings 90+2), Dodd (Fletcher 82), Reid (Edwards 90+2), Grubb, Morton.

Subs not used: Thomas, Purnell.

Goalscorers: Reid (32), (75), Wood own goal (61), Morton (81)

Yellow card: Pope

Welling United: Charles-Cook, Howard, Green, Grant, Wood (Kassarate 62), Byrd, Tanga, Odusanya, Abrahams (Kamara 88), Chambers, Adom.

Subs not used: Bramble, Muwonge.

Goalscorers: Abrahams pen (54), Chambers (83)

Yellow card: Grant

Referee: Ashley Clarke

Assistants: Robert Harrison and Nicholas Whittington

Attendance: 764

Images courtesy of Dave Budden