On a far milder day than the usual Welling United v Charlton Athletic pre-season game, the visitors prevailed with a three goal victory.

For the second consecutive season, a new Welling manager started with an almost entirely new squad.

Meanwhile, Charlton had another fixture in the evening of the same day so held some first team players back to play at Greenwich Borough.

Chris Solly had the first chance for Charlton but scuffed his effort wide then Josh Magennis fired just wide but Chris Lewington appeared to have it covered anyway.

Karlan Aheaine-Grant looped a header over from a corner then Joe Aribo shot high before Charlton went ahead. Cameron Stewart provided the cross and Jason Pearce the finish.

Almost immediately, Welling created an opportunity of their own with a slick passing movement but Tom Bradbrook was unable to pick out Bradley Goldberg with his chipped cross.

Goldberg did have a good chance moments later when David Moli brought down Ben Jefford’s seep cross but Dillon Phillips blocked Goldberg’s effort with his legs.

Chris Lewington made a great save from George Lapslie’s header from another Stewart cross before he again did well when tipping over Aheaine-Grant’s drive.

Another Stewart cross created Charlton’s second. Although Patrick Bauer’s initial header was kept out by a stunning Lewington save, it came back out to Bauer who made no mistake with his second header.

After the break, the game failed to flow as a series of substitutions kept breaking up play however Frances Babalola had a low cross shot cleared off the line by Bauer as Welling threatened.

Their next opportunity game from a Goldberg free kick but it flew straight into the arms of Phillips.

Babaloya then fired wide of the near post from Alfie Pavey’s knock down.

As the game came to a close, only two players who started remained on the pitch but Charlton drew the final blood with three minutes remaining through Mikhail Kennedy’s crisp finish.

Welling United: Lewington (Collier 81), Durojaiye, Jefford (Johnson 65), Parkinson (Corne 58), Francis (Dembele 67), Gayle (Brown 78), Joseph-Dubois (Babalola 46), Dymond (Dombaxe 68), Bradbrook (Pavey 58), Goldberg (Fiddes 69), Moli (Pattison 40): Unused substitute: Coyle.

Charlton Athletic: Phillips, Solly (Yao 67), Jackson (Edwards 67), Pearce (Bowry 46), Bauer (Cummings 67), Stewart (Fernandes 67)., Kashi (Kennedy 60), Aribo (Carter 67), Ahearne-Grant (Yamfam 67), Watt (Lapslie 29), Magennis (Maloney 67). Unused substitute: Harvey.

Welling United:

Goalscorers : None

Yellow cards: None

Red cards: None

Charlton Athletic:

Goalscorers: Pearce (25), Bauer (41), Kennedy (87)

Yellow cards: None

Red cards: None

Referee: Ian Fissenden

Assistants:.Darren Blunden and Chris Myatt

Fourth official: Ian Crouch .

Images courtesy of Dave Budden