It was a disappointing first ever Isthmian League Premier Division game for Welling United when they visited Cheshunt.

Despite scoring the first goal, defensive frailties that have been evident during their pre-season campaign were again clear to see.

Antonis Vasiliou had the first effort of the match with a shot that flew well wide. However, he came closer with his next effort. A long throw was knocked out to him and his fierce drive was turned over superbly by goalkeeper Slavomir Huk.

At the other end, Jack Paxman shaped to cross before he cut in and fired in a shot that clattered the far post.

In the sixteenth minute, the Wings went ahead. Preston Edwards did well to keep out a Lekan Majoyegbe header but he was powerless to stop Ruben Shakpoke’s follow up shot.

Luke O’Neill then did well to head it down to George Evans who was unable to finish but, moments later, the hosts levelled. Sam Granville appeared to miss-cue his shot and it fell into the path of George Nunn, and he fired home gleefully.

Shakpoke then came close to putting Welling back ahead when dispossessing Raul Da Silva and bursting through one on one with Edwards. He chose to go alone but couldn’t slip it past Edwards when a better option would have probably been to pass across goal for Evans to tap in.

That missed opportunity proved costly as the Ambers went ahead with just over ten minutes to go before half time. Logan Dobbs cleared acrobatically off the line but only as far as Vasiliou and he fired home from the edge of the penalty area.

Nine minutes later, Welling’s defence again went absent. Huk did well to knock out a shot by Granville and Arthur Iontton was first to the rebound to fire home.

Lee Martin, Welling’s manager, reacted with a triple substitution at half time and the Wings came out with purpose. John Ufuah had a shot blocked wide and James Dyer’s corner picked out O’Neill whose header went the wrong side of the post.

Ufuah found Shakpoke and his shot was deflected over then Majoyegbe had a header blocked back out to him and his follow up shot was also charged down. Dequane Wilson-Braithwaite was then indebted to his goalkeeper when chesting down Dyer’s cross towards his own bottom corner but Edwards dived to save.

On the break, Lordon Akolbire got in behind the Welling defence too easily but Huk stood up and made a good block save.

Darion Furlong headed over for Cheshunt then Akolbire snatched wide. Welling weren’t finished, though, and pulled one back with twelve minutes remaining. Dyer threaded a delightful through ball between two Chesham defenders to send Ufuah clear and he finished confidently.

They then missed a great opportunity to equalise. Ufuah again burst through and, maybe should have gone alone but he chose, unselfishly, to square to Tom Leahy who shot meekly straight at Edwards.

Moments later the contest was ended when a Cheshunt corner was knocked out to substitute Jesse Effa and he made no mistake from the edge of the penalty area. 

There is no time for Welling to feel sorry for themselves as they are back in action on Tuesday at home to Aveley.

Cheshunt: Edwards; Akolbire, Da Silva, Furlong, Roberts (Soulya 55); Iontton, Wilson-Braithwaite; Kurran-Browne (Fanimo 64), Granville (Vukoje 83), Vasiliou (Effa 84); Nunn (Smith-Kouassi 69). Subs not used: None.

Goalscorer: Nunn (20), Vasiliou (33), Iontton (42), Effa (85)

Yellow cards: Smith-Kouassi (80 foul), Akolbire (82 foul)

Welling United: Huk; O’Neill (Lewis 65), Dobbs, Majoyegbe; Antonio (Dyer 46);  Williams-Bushell, Penn, Paxman, Cundle (T. Leahy 46); Evans (Ufuah 46), Shakpoke (Sinai 72). Sub not used: None.

Goalscorer: Shakpoke (16), Ufuah (78)

Yellow cards: Penn (39 foul), O’Neill (43 foul), Paxman (90+5 foul)

Referee: Marcus Tingey

Assistants: David Lofgren and Albert Warr

Attendance: 396