On a sweltering afternoon, Maidstone United entertained Welling United in a pre-season friendly and it was the hosts who prevailed.

There was almost a goal for the Wings in the opening exchanges. Demaray Anyadike fired across the face of goal and Ade Azeez stretched but could not turn it home. Then it was the turn of the hosts to ask questions and after a corner came to nothing, they went ahead. Riley Court found space on the left and eased in before shooting inside the far post.

Ken Charles then created space for himself but shot straight at the Welling goalkeeper from fifteen yards before Taylor Foran landed a header onto the roof of the net from a Court corner. It wasn’t all one way, though. Sam Smith and Anyadike combined well to set up Azeez and he was thwarted by a good block by Stones’ goalkeeper Lenny Holden.

Holden made an outstanding save from Kaan Bennett shortly afterwards before the hosts doubled their lead. There didn’t look like there was too much danger when Charles shot from the edge of the penalty area but, somehow, his effort found its way home inside the near post.

Bennett then blocked a clearance and Holden again came to the rescue when smothering at the feet of Azeez. However, Maidstone added a third goal just before half time when Court delivered a corner and Ryan Hanson’s header crossed the line as the Welling custodian pushed it up and was unable to claw it out.

Ryan Maxwell made seven changes at the break and two of his substitutes combined well when Troy Howard’s low cross picked out Ryan Kingsford whose sliding effort was deflected over.

Court limped off ten minutes into the second half and was replaced by Tom Leahy, then six minutes later, Craig Fagan replaced the remainder of the Maidstone outfield starters. 

While the newcomers were settling in, Welling pulled one back. Fumnayo Shomotun found space down the left and crossed deep for Howard to head home from close range. 

Once again, Maidstone looked dangerous from a corner and Smith did well to nod a trialist’s header up and against the bar before Welling’s goalkeeper tidied up.

Smith was then withdrawn and his trialist replacement had a half chance when Howard squared to him, but he tried to improve his angle, rather than firing early, and could only roll it past the post.

Seven minutes remained when the hosts added a fourth. A deep corner was headed back into the danger area by Frankie Hvid and a trialist poked it home.

That was the end of the goalscoring as a competitive game drew to a close.

Maidstone United: Holden, Lusala (Trialist 61), Fowler (Trialist 61), Foran (Hvid 61), Hamblin (Trialist 61); Tuck (Trialist 61), Hanson (Trialist 61); Davis (Trialist 61), Court (Leahy 55), Gravata (Trialist 61); Charles (Boruk 61).

Subs not used: None

Goalscorer: Court (8), Charles (33), Hanson (45), Trialist (83)

Yellow cards: None

Welling United: Trialist, Wright (Miller-Rodney 46), Bertram-Cooper (Gunner 46), Majoyegbe, Reeve; Blackman (El-Mogharbel 46); Anyadike (Howard 46), Smith (Trialist 72), Ufuah (Trialist 46); Bennett (Shomtun 46); Azeez (Kingsford 46).

Subs not used: None.

Goalscorers: Howard

Yellow cards: None

Referee: Joe Dann-Pye

Assistants: George Lowe and Nik Garside

Fourth Official: Ben McDonald