Three unanswered Welling United goals earned them the bragging rights in their Isthmian League Premier Division local derby against Dartford.

There was little between the two teams in the opening exchanges as the two teams tested each other, but once they had settled down, the Wings played the better football.

Over fifteen minutes had passed before either team created any opening. Welling’s Smith, Sam, gave Ryan Kingsford a shooting chance but he was unable to muster sufficient power to trouble Ryan Sandford in the Dartford goal.

Then, Dartford’s Smith, Dan, burst down the left and stung Foley Mackenzie’s palms as he diverted it over. Zak O’Keefe, making his second Welling debut, thought that he had scored when finishing a Demaray Anyadike cross, however, the assistant referee deemed otherwise and raided his flag for offside. O’Keefe, on loan from Leyton Orient, came forward again and fired just past the far post.

Just under ten minutes before half time, a challenge by Nahum Clayton-Lambert left Joe Tennent prostrate. After much treatment, he had to be withdrawn and replaced by Tyler Ibe while the Welling striker was cautioned. Three minutes later, Welling went ahead. Sam Smith’s long diagonal free kick was met by a towering header by by Nathan Bertram-Cooper. Although it came back off the post, he was first to the rebound to bury it.

Fumnaya Shomotun cut in and fired just over the bar for the visitors before the first half drew to a close.

Although the Darts started the second period well, they conceded again five minutes in. Demaray Anyadike got in space down the left hand side and his diagonal cross was finished at the far post by Clayton-Lambert.

That knocked the stuffing out of the hosts and Welling made it three-nil on the hour mark. Shomotun burst through the middle and had players either side of him to give him options. That caused the defence to spread and he went through the gap and fired into the bottom corner.

Foley then attempted a clearance but slammed it straight into substitute Gianluca Botti and it flew back out of the ground. Max Fiddes had a header saved easily by Foley shortly after.

Anyadike came close to adding a fourth when he got in between captain Ben Swift and Sandford and his first time hooked effort drifted just over the empty net.

Neither side threatened again until the closing minutes when Welling substitute Kaan Bennett fired a fierce shot that was beaten out by Sandford.

Managers Ben Greenhalgh of Dartford, and Welling’s Ryan Maxwell now have a week to prepare before the August Bank Holiday weekend when they each have two games in three days.

Dartford: Sandford; Whitefield, Tennent (Ibe 41), Swift; Orji, Pinder, Davey (Wagstaff 54), Odaudu; Greenhalgh (L. Atkins 65); Fiddes (R. Atkins 78), Smith (Botti 65). Sub not used: None.

Goalscorers: None
Yellow card: (Whitefield 42 ungentlemanly conduct)

Welling United: Foley; O’Keefe (Blackman 71), Bertram-Cooper, Majoyegbe, Arthur (Reynolds 78); Miller-Rodney, Smith; Anyadike, Kingsford (Bennett 80), Shomotun (Ufuah 74); Melvin-Lambert (Azeez 54). Subs not used: None.

Goalscorer: Bertram-Cooper (44), Melvin-Lambert (50), Shomotun (60)
Yellow card: Melvin-Lambert (37 foul), O’Keefe (58)

Referee: Ryan Calver
Assistants: Patrick O’Reilly and Thomas Murray

Attendance: 1,410