In their second visit to Devon this season, Welling suffered their second heavy defeat.

They started the season losing five-one to Truro City, who play in Plymouth at present, and their trip to Torquay United on Saturday ended with a similar scoreline. For the first twenty five minutes at Plainmoor, Welling looked good and deserved their lead, but they then capitulated and the Gulls ran out as comfortable winners.

Goalkeeper Ben Winterbottom’s concussion injury at Boreham Wood seven days earlier meant that he could not play and Welling manager Danny Bloor brought in another custodian, James Holden, on loan from Cambridge United, and he had an afternoon that he won’t forget.

Brad Ash had an early opportunity for the hosts when sent clear but his lob floated wide before the Wings had their first chance when Antony Papadopoulos had a shot blocked with Jephte Tanga screaming for a pass.

However, Welling did not have too much longer to wait before going ahead. Kain Adom strode forward and hit a low drive from twenty yards that gave Torquay goalkeeper Mark Halstead no chance.

Having not looked threatening, Torquay were gifted an equaliser ten minutes before half time. Holden slipped allowing it to reach Aaron Jarvis. Holden appeared to have hounded him out of the penalty area before making an inauspicious challenge. The referee deemed the foul to have taken place inside the eighteen yard box, and after cautioning the Welling goalkeeper, he awarded a penalty. Jarvis got up and converted confidently.

Jarvis had two chances to put Torquay ahead, but missed both, as Welling fell apart. However, the hosts added a second four minutes after equalising. Holden punched out when under pressure and it fell for Brett McGavin whose first time volley from outside the penalty area flew into the top corner.

Ash might have made it three-one before the half time break when getting past Holden but his attempted clip into the unguarded net was off target and hit the side-netting.

At the interval, Bloor was forced into making a change with an injury to Cameron Green causing him to be withdrawn and replaced by Taylor Curran. That brought about a change of shape but not any cohesiveness as Welling kept misplacing passes and were kept on the back foot.

Just shy of the hour mark Jack Stobbs picked out Shaun Donnelly on the right hand side and his first time volley looped over Holden and inside the far post.

Five minutes later, Torquay snuffed out any lingering hopes Welling had of getting something out of the match when conceding a fourth. Lachlan Byrd’s clumsy challenge on Jarvis again had the referee pointing to the spot and this one was far less contentious. Jarvis again took the responsibility, and again fired home.

The hosts added a fifth with fifteen minutes remaining when Stobbs delivered a corner that caught in the wind and went in off the post. Holden thought that he been impeded and chased the referee to remonstrate earning himself a second yellow card and a dismissal. Tristan Abrahams took the goalkeepers shirt and gloves.

He might have conceded immediately when Dean Moxey spotted him well off the line and launched it forward from inside his own half however, fortunately for the emergency custodian, it drifted wide.

McGavin twice tested Abrahams as Welling continued to show little, but the striker turned stopper did well to hold both.

Defeat left Welling in penultimate place in the league, five points adrift of the safety zone.

Welling United: Holden, Lema, Green (Curran 46), Odusanya, Byrd, Burchell, Tanga, Bramble (Kassarate 66), Abrahams, Papadopoulos (|Muwonge 60), Adom. Sub not used: White, Kamara.