One first half goal was enough to knock Welling United off the top of the Isthmian League Premier Division when they visited Eastbourne Borough.

Played in a very strong wind, the hosts had the better of the opening period when it was in their favour. Terrell Egbri was responsible for all of their dead ball deliveries and from one of his free kicks, Giles Phillips’ header drew an easy save from Welling goalkeeper Phil Ogayi.

In the twenty-first minute, the Sports scored the crucial goal. They took a quick free kick after a Welling corner came to nothing and Darren McQueen raced away down the left wing. He then looked up and found Josh Rees on the edge of the penalty area and his clean strike flew into the top corner giving Ogayi no chance.

Arthur Grout shot drew another easy save from the Wings’ goalkeeper then, with half time approaching, Egbri tried his luck from out wide and his effort flew just beyond the angle of bar and post.

Early in the second period Harry Phipps headed wide from another Egbri free kick before Welling manager Ryan Maxwell brought on Chris Harris for his Wings debut with just over half an hour remaining.

Rees headed straight at Ogayi from another Egbri cross before a string of substitutes and yellow cards caused the game to become very stop-start.

Just under fifteen minutes remained when Sports goalkeeper Lewis Carey struggled with a high cross that swirled in the wind and could only palm it up into the air. Nathan Cooper went for an acrobatic bicycle kick but didn’t connect cleanly and it floated wide. Zak O’Keefe then launched a long throw, the Eastbourne defence allowed it to bounce, and Nahum Melvin-Lambert’s shot was saved brilliantly by Carey.

As the game moved into stoppage time, a Sam Smith corner was knocked out to Ryan Blackman who leant back and it flew high over. Then Ogayi went up for another Smith corner and tried an overhead kick. Sadly for him, he barely made contact and the hosts were able to hack it away.

There were no further chances at either end and Welling dropped back to second place on goal difference having played a game more than league leaders Enfield Town. They now have two home games in a row and will hope to extend their one hundred percent home record to keep the pressure on.

Eastbourne Borough: Carey; Hayden, Phillips, Carter (Phipps 46), Oguntaya: Eastmond (Sheaf 83); Egbri, Rees, Grout (Johnson 90+1), McQueen (Bellamy 62), Harrison (McCallum 48). Subs not used: None.

Goalscorer: Rees
Yellow cards: Eastmond (55 ungentlemanly conduct), Rees (67 foul), McCallum (67 dissent), Egbri (89 dissent)

Welling United: Ogayi; O’Keefe, Majoyegbe, Cooper, Arthur; Miller-Rodney (Blackman 65), Reynolds (Smith 74); Anyadike, Bennett (Harris 59), Otseh-Taiwo (Shomotun 63); Melvin-Lambert. Sub not used: Azeez.

Goalscorers: None
Yellow cards: Bennett (55 ungentlemanly conduct), Arthur (78 foul), Blackman (86 foul)

Referee: Thomas Reed
Assistants: Jeffrey Davis and David Stappleton

Attendance: 1,222