Three consecutive games against full time teams ended in two defeats and a draw for Welling United but it could have been so much more.

At Torquay United they were certainly second best and put in a poor showing after being very unfortunate not to get a replay from their F.A. Cup visit to National League Boreham Wood.

They then returned to the J. Hearnden Skip Hire Community Stadium for a Vanarama National League South game with Maidstone United and they didn’t show any sign of fatigue as they finished the stronger and might have won it in the end.

Danny Bloor made three changes to the team that lost at Torquay, bringing in academy graduate Javarn Pitterson for Cambridge United loanee James Holden and resting Antony Papadopoulos and Jephte Tanga. Amadou Kassarate and Lewis White were restored to the starting line-up.

Neither side created much in the opening exchanges until White had a great opportunity when bursting through. His fierce drive was beaten out by Lucas Covolan as far as Kain Adom and his low shot was claimed well by the Maidstone goalkeeper.

After that, the visitors had a good spell of possession and had chances of their own but Pitterson was only tested once with a comfortable save from Levi Amantchi’s header.

Having seen out that spell, Welling had the last chance of the first half when Crossley Lema had a sight of goal but his effort whistle past the far post.

Early in the second half, Maidstone came close after Welling had the initial opening. TJ Bramble’s shot was parried out by Covolan before he recovered it and sent Sol Wanjau-Smith away. He unleashed a shot that Pitterson saved well and it came back out to the Maidstone striker whose follow up was blocked by the brave head of Lachlan Byrd.

White had another chance when played in by Tristan Abrahams but his low shot was well held by Covolan. That marked the end of White’s evening as he was replaced by Tanga moments later.

Pitterson got down well to save from Amantchi before Welling’s strong finish to the match almost brought them a winner. Papadopoulos struck well over after Covolan had failed to hold a corner then Adom struggled to get Papadopoulos’ pass out from under his feet and went to ground as he hooked his shot against the inside of the post.

Although Pitterson had to make a good save from Wanjau-Smith, Welling again came close when Papadopoulos created space for Lema and his fierce near post drive drew a fine save out of Covolan.

Bloor will want to take the encouragement from this performance into Saturday’s game at home to Chippenham Town hoping that the draw was the start of another unbeaten run.

Welling United: Pitterson, Lema, Green, Kassarate, Byrd, Burchell, Adom, Odusanya, Abrahams, Bramble (Papadopoulos 61), White (Tanga 72). Sub not used: Idem, Curran, Muwonge.