After a relatively tight first half Welling United, were taken apart by Billericay Town after the break in their Isthmian League Premier Division match.

New manager Ryan Maxwell gave debuts to three new players but was left in no doubt about the huge challenge ahead of him. 

Liam Nash hit a shot on the turn that went well over in the early stages, then had another speculative effort that went beyond the far post. However, Welling didn’t look too troubled for the first quarter of the match.

Defensive shortcomings then started to show when Jay Porter picked out an unmarked Teddy Collis but he couldn’t hit the target with his near post header. Nash had a free header from a corner but didn’t go for goal and Welling cleared, then Porter again found Collis and his low shot was well held by Dion-Curtis Henry.

Just after the half hour mark, the hosts went ahead when Frankie Merrifield sent Collis away and he squared for Elliot Long to tuck home.

Collis then got into a good area but Henry and Lekan Majoyegbe combined well to keep it out before the Welling goalkeeper did well to push a Tyler Miller-Rodney shot round the post.

Jack Paxman had a thirty-yard shot pushed round the post by Billericay goalkeeper Sam Donkin and the Welling captain had another shot that looked destined for the top corner but took a deflection off a team-mate to divert it just over.

With half time approaching, the hosts again went close when Henry made a brilliant save from Merrifield’s header and Nash looked certain to score until Chris Arthur made a brave block to turn it over the bar.

Immediately after the break, Jack Evans clipped it towards the far post where Collis was unable to turn it home then Welling failed to clear and Evans’ follow up was saved by Henry. However, the Wings’ custodian was left helpless when stranded outside his area soon after and Evans, out wide on the left, hit it from forty-five yards out and it flew in off the far post.

Maxwell made a triple change and four minutes later Welling pulled one back. A half clearance fell to Majoyegbe and he hooked it back over Donkin and into the back of the net.

However, ten minutes later, the hosts scored again. While the Welling defence looked for an offside, Merrifield played to the whistle and fired home.

Luke Allen then came on for the Wings and created a great chance almost immediately. He clipped it in to Femi Akinwande but the former Billericay striker failed to put it away from close range.

Although Collis had a shot deflected over, Welling’s escape was short-lived as Henry was unable to cut out Nash’s corner and Tommy Davis took full advantage when heading home from close range.

Four minutes remained when the hosts added a fifth. A Collis shot was pushed out by Henry and it fell to Merrifield whose shot came down off the bar and the assistant referee deemed it to have crossed the line. 

Evans shot over, then a Collis shot clipped the bar but Billericay weren’t finished and completed the rout with almost the last kick of the match. They were awarded a free kick on the edge of the area and Evans fired it into the top corner.

Results elsewhere meant that Welling remained in penultimate place but are now eight points adrift of safety.

Billericay Town: Donkin; Lewis-Burgess, Davis (Parsons 82), Johnson, Porter; Miller-Rodney (Owen 78); Nash, Evans, Long, Cerulli (Collis 23); Merrifield (Williams 87).

Subs not used: Abrahams, Parsons.

Goalscorers: Long (Long 31), Evans (49) (90+3), Merrifield (66) (86), Davis (81)

Yellow cards: None

Welling United: Henry; Simmons (Williams-Bushell 52), Majoyegbe, Arthur. Currie (Walker 52); Thomas; Redfearn (Chima 52), Paxman. Ebuzoeme (Allen 74), Ufuah (Addy 84); Akinwande.

Subs not used: None.

Goalscorers: Majoyegbe (56)

Yellow cards: Ebuzoeme (50 foul), Arthur (90+4 dissent)

Referee: Alfie Finch-Critchley

Assistants: Emre Arslan and Bruno Marques

Attendance: 877