Derby day defeat against Dartford left Welling United in greater danger of dropping out of the Vanarama National League South.

Manager Danny Bloor made three changes to the starting line-up that was beaten at Bath three days earlier, but to no avail as they slumped to their third loss in a row. Visitors, Dartford, also came into the game on the back of a two game losing run and, unsurprisingly, the game was not a classic. There were very few clear cut chances for either side in the match between two teams who play in very different styles, and it came as no surprise that a mistake settled the game.

Luke Coulson fired over for the visitors early on before Kain Adom drew a straightforward save out of Dartford goalkeeper Ryan Sandford. Coulson had another opportunity when he intercepted a miss-placed pass out from the back and bore down on goal, however, with team-mates well placed, he chose to go alone and shot well over.

Jephte Tanga had a shot deflected over and Anthony Grant scuffed wide before an uneventful first half came to a close.

TJ Bramble made a brilliant last ditch challenge to thwart George Alexander before Dartford took the lead with the hour mark approaching. Lachlan Byrd tried to back-head a long ball to Reice Charles-Cook but he didn’t get enough on it and Alexander found himself one-on-one with the Welling goalkeeper. Charles-Cook got down well to make an excellent save but Richard Chin was first to the rebound and the Charlton Athletic loanee forced it home.

Bloor introduced Antony Papadopoulos off the bench to try and install some more urgency and Dominic Odusanya tested Ryan Sandford with a powerful drive that the one time Welling custodian tipped over.

Another defensive slip gave Chin the opportunity to set up Coulson to finish the contest but he couldn’t find the corner and Charles-Cook was able to make the save. Adom shot beyond the far post before Papadopoulos went close when his shot came back out off the near post.

Enoch Muwonge was brought on for Grant with five minutes to go as Welling went all in on the attack and he was involved immediately with a shot that was blocked out as far as Cameron Green whose shot flew wide. Muwonge created another chance for himself but pulled it wide of the near post and Papadopoulos had one last effort with a sweetly struck effort from twenty-five yards that Sandford saved.

Defeat left Welling eight points adrift of the safety zone and they will go into the return fixture feeling that it’s a must win game.

Welling United: Charles-Cook, Lema, Green, Grant (Muwonge 85), Bramble, Byrd, Tanga (Roscrow 71), Odusanya, Abrahams, Chambers (Papadopoulos 58), Adom. Subs not used: Curran, Orji.