Dave Winfield’s goal helped Welling United claim a point at Chippenham Town that took them out of the bottom four of the Vanarama National League South.

Once again, Welling got off to a bad start. Gene Kennedy could only head a corner into the path of Freddie Grant. Although he was in acres of space he made a hash of his shot but got away with it when it fell for Hamzad Kargbo to divert it into the net.

Tom Mehew was then sent clear but failed to control it and Rhys Lovett came out to claim before Welling had an opportunity. James Alabi controlled a long pass well which allowed him to go past Chippenham goalkeeper Will Henry. The angle was against him to get a shot away and his attempt to square to Scott Kashket was cut out by an excellent intercepting tackle by Luke Haines.

Shortly after, Welling levelled. Alabi was dragged down and a free kick awarded. Harvey Walker whipped it in and Dave Winfield got on the end of it to finish with a close range side foot volley.

It was then Welling’s turn to press, however, despite winning a string of corners, they were unable to test Henry. The nearest that he came to conceding was when Will King walloped a back pass from just inside his own half and the Bluebirds goalkeeper was relieved that it was near enough to him for him to be able to stretch and chest it down before clearing.

As the first half came towards a close, Kargbo had a shot deflected wide by Jack Burchell before a Luke Spokes corner caught in the wind and clipped the bar. Matt McClure then turned well to make space for himself but scuffed his shot wide.

If there were few chances in the first half, there were even fewer in the second as the bobbly pitch made passing football difficult. Mehew had a shot kicked away by Lovett before Welling came close. Alabi controlled it well and played it into the path of Jayden Davis. He burst forward before unleashing an effort that just missed the angle of bar and post with Henry floundering.

Substitutions by both sides then broke up play and there wasn’t another goal attempt until Caine Bradbury fired wide of Welling’s far post.

Moments later, Mehew feasted on a miss-placed clearance however he slid it past Lovett and also the far post.

Neither club created a further opportunity and the Wings left Witshire with a hard earned point.

Chippenham Town: Henry, Bradbury, Johnson, Bray (Dawes 55), Haines, Grant, Mehew (Owen-Evans 78), Spokes, McClure (Amadi-Holloway), Kargbo (Parsons 64), King. Sub not used: Gravata.

Goalscorers: Kargbo (11)

Yellow cards: None

Welling United: Lovett, Davis, H. Walker (Kamara 75), Di Trolio, Burchell, Winfield, Di Trolio, Kennedy (Grant 60), Quick, Alabi (Moore 54), Kashket (Z. Walker 78), Kelly. Sub not used: Taylor-Crossdale.

Goalscorers: Winfield (24)

Yellow cards: Walker (60 foul), Grant (84 time wasting), Lovett (89 time wasting)

Referee: Liam Corbett

Assistants: Daniel Trout and Owen Moreton

Fourth Official: Thomas Holden

Attendance: 592

Images courtesy of Dave Budden