Eastbourne Borough 0 751
1. Mitchell Walker
2. Marvin Hamilton-Omale
3. Sam Cole
4. Matt Smart YC70
5. Alex Lacey YC52
6. Ollie Rowe ©
7. Simon Johnson
8. Stuart Anderson
9. Ben Watson
10. Gary Hart
11. Charles Ademeno

12. Ellis Remy (Watson)53
14. Gary Charman
15. Jason Mason (Smart) 76
16. Steve Brinkhurst (Hamilton-Omale) 72
17. Ben Austin

Welling United 3 Healy, Pires 2
1. Jamie Turner
2. Loui Fazakerley
3. Jack Obersteller
4. Scott Kinch
5. Jack Parkinson
6. Ben Martin YC55
7. Dean Cracknell
8. Lee Clarke
9. Harry Baker
10. Joe Healy
11. Loick Pires

12. Andy Sambrook (Cracknell) 81
14. Anthony Acheampong (Martin) 56 YC58
15. Connor McLaren
16. Ryan Flack
17. Ben Greenhalgh (Healy) 74 YC84

Referee: Mr.J. O’Brien

Legendary goalkeeper Jamie Turner made a surprise return in goal for the ill Craig Holloway to make his first appearance in a Welling shirt in almost four years. Harry Baker replaced Ben Greenhalgh in the only other change from the goalless draw at Salisbury.

Welling began the game brightly having the majority of possession particularly down the right with Baker earning a number of free kicks which Obersteller couldn’t deliver from. A Joe Healy overhead kick was the Wing’s only shot in the opening 10 minutes but the midfielder got another chance on the quarter hour mark.

Lee Clarke flicked the ball on inside the box which deflected off Sam Cole’s hand and O’Brien pointed to the spot. After Cracknell’s miss last week, Healy stepped up to the plate and calmly slid the ball into the bottom corner to make it 1-0.

The home fans were becoming frustrated with the referee’s decisions which favoured the Wings – fairly or not - including a questionable decision as Hart ran into Martin after a good through ball from midfield.

Welling flexed their muscles and began to play some lovely football as Obersteller powered past Johnson on the left to find Healy at the back post. The midfielder chipped the ball back across the goal to find an unmarked Pires onside to head the ball in for 2-0.

Eastbourne almost pulled one back straight away playing the ball around on the edge of the box and after Hart played a ball across the box, Johnson launched himself producing a great effort which cannoned off the post.

After a spate of deliveries into the Wings’ box – one of which was headed off line by Martin from a corner – the Wings produced a great counter attack as Baker ran half the length of the pitch after hesitation from Cole. After holding off two Eastbourne challenges, the winger laid the ball to the onrushing Pires but he was denied his second by an excellent save from Mitchell Walker.

Eastbourne had their own individual run two minutes later as Ademeno cut in from the left through the middle but his shot was straight at Turner and the returning goalkeeper was forced into a good save to deny Anderson just before half time.

A minute after the restart, Parkinson should have made the game safe with a free header at the back post but he put it wide from five yards out and Baker also had a shot from distance after Walker had to come a long way out of goal to clear a wayward back pass.

Martin was booked after numerous minor fouls which prompted Day to immediately replace the big man with Acheampong who just two minutes after coming on also went into the book with his first foul.

The Sports looked for a way back into the match with a more direct approach then the first half and were growing in confidence since Welling were unable to hold onto the ball. They sensed a way back into the game but on 72 minutes, they gifted the match to the Wings.

Lacey hesitated on the edge of the box allowing Baker to hustle him into a mistake. Pires latched onto the loose ball and this time made no mistake one on one to make it 3-0.

With the game all but over both sides began to ease down with substitute Greenhalgh’s yellow card for diving and two tame Eastbourne efforts the only incidents of note as the referee blew for full time.