In dreadful weather conditions, Welling United’s recent improved run was ended with defeat at Worthing.

After Welling had come out sharply, Worthing created the first chance with a training ground corner routine that ended with Lewis White firing over.

Welling then struggled to clear and it fell to Joel Colbran whose shot was deflected wide.

At the other end Taylor Maloney had a shot that was knocked out as far as Amadou Kassarate who turned and shot just wide. However, Worthing were soon on the attack again when Ollie Pearce went on a long run unopposed. He laid it off for debutant loanee Davide Rodari and he drew a great save out of Myles Roberts.

Soon after, Worthing went ahead. Roberts went for a high ball but collided with Manny Parry and it fell kindly for Pearce to roll into the empty net.

Kane Wills had a shot blocked by Maloney before White rounded Roberts, but Jamie Sendles-White rescued his team by getting back to make a brilliant last-ditch tackle. Roberts made an excellent save from Dan Bowry then another sweeping Worthing move created a chance for Colbran who fired over when well placed.

Bowry was then caught out by Maloney in his own penalty area. The Welling man nicked it away from him and cut back and his shot drew the first save of the day from Harrison Male who did well to tip it over.

Eight minutes remained in the first half when Worthing doubled their lead. White chased a long through ball by Wills and was unchallenged before slotting it beyond an exposed Roberts.

White then crossed to Pearce whose header was tipped over by Roberts and from another rehearsed corner Wills found Pearce whose first time shot flashed wide.

Kassarate sent Medy Elito away at the other end, but Male made an excellent save before White put Wills through, but he showed enough of it to allow Roberts to claim at his feet.

Warren Feeney made one change at the break, replacing Kassarate with Antony Papadopoulos and the substitute netted early in the second period when a clearance struck Dan Nkrumah and fell into his path, but he was in an offside position, and it did not count.

Rueben Livesey-Austin’s cross came out to Cal Kealy, and he was thwarted by the outstretched boot of Roberts then Wills picked out Bowry from a corner, but his flicked header went wide.

Roberts came to Welling’s rescue again when Pearce found Livesey-Austin and he squared it for Kealy who was again unable to beat the busy goalkeeper.

Rodari crossed for Pearce whose low volley flew over before Worthing went further ahead. Roberts made a stunning double save to deny Kealy and Rodari but was powerless when it came out to White who thrashed it home.

To their credit, Welling didn’t roll over and pulled one back six minutes later. Elito found Maloney and his shot was blocked by the arm of Danny Barker in the eighteen-yard box. Maloney took the responsibility himself and slotted home comfortably.

Pearce had a low shot saved by Roberts before Worthing thought that they had scored a fourth, Ibby Akanbi shot from the edge of the penalty area and his shot went through the legs of Pearce who was standing on the goal-line.

At first the referee awarded a goal with no offside flag raised before he was persuaded to speak to his assistant. Eventually, he made the correct decision and disallowed the goal.

Once more, Akanbi thought that he was going to score when his fierce drive was tipped onto the bar and out by Roberts. Then, at the other end, Maloney picked out Ade Azeez with a free kick and his shot on the turn flashed wide of the near post.

Five minutes remained when Welling scored a second. Elito was again involved when he played in Nkrumah, and he finished brilliantly for his first for the club.

Josh Chambers might have added a fourth for the Rebels but was off target after delaying his shot.

That might have been costly when the Wings had one last chance in stoppage time. Azeez had a shot that came out as far as Parry, who had been thrown forward. He didn’t get a clean strike and it went wide.

To add insult to injury, Welling were reduced to ten men with seconds remaining through a soft red card. Worthing players refused to retreat when Welling wanted to take a quick free kick and Taylor Curran pushed Chambers away. The referee decreed that it was excessive force and dismissed him.

On Wednesday, Welling will play a mid-season home friendly against Leyton Orient’s first team ahead of next Saturday’s home game against Dulwich Hamlet.

Worthing: Male, Colbran, Livesey-Austin, Wills, Bowry, Barker, Rodari, Rye, Kealy (Akanbi 64), Pearce, White (Chambers 75).

Subs not used: Myles-Meekums, Beresford, Cocoracchio.

Goalscorers: Pearce (19), White (37), (63).

Yellow cards: Bowry, Colbran.

Welling United: Roberts, Jones (Barnes 62), Powell, Dunne, Sendles-White (Curran 90), Parry, Kassarate (Papadopoulos 46), Nkrumah, Azeez, Elito, Maloney.

Sub not used: McKenzie-Lyle, Howard.

Goalscorers: Maloney pen (69), Nkrumah (85)

Yellow cards: Kassarate, Powell, Maloney.

Red card: Curran

Referee: Harry Wager

Assistants: Simon Parbery and Josh Langley-Fineing

Attendance: 1,165

Pictures supplied by Dave Budden.