In a fiery encounter, Welling United avenged their recent Isthmian League Premier Division match defeat at home to Ramsgate by winning the return fixture on the south coast.

Although the Wings went behind, they levelled immediately and scored the winner in the second half. However, that doesn’t tell half the story of a game full of incident that included two red cards, and six yellows including a member of the management team, for the hosts. One red and three yellows were brandished to Welling players.

Ryan Kingsford shot wide for the Rams before Tom Leahy missed a great opportunity for Welling when his shot was saved well by Aiden Prall with the assistance of Raphe Brown who hacked it off the line.

Joe Taylor scored his third goal since his return to the Wings in the nineteenth minute. He was given space on the edge of the area and his shot took a slight deflection before going in off the far post.

Within a minute, Welling were level. Leahy broke down the right and crossed low. Although it evaded two Welling attacking players, John Ufuah controlled it before firing home for his fourth goal in their last three league and cup games.

Alfie Paxman then got into a great position before firing beyond the far post. He then headed over when meeting a Kingsford cross. As Ramsgate continued to press, he crossed to Taylor whose effort appeared to be going wide but Lekan Majoyegbe put it high over his own crossbar to be sure.

However, Paxman could easily have been the first player to be sent off shortly afterwards. Showing petulance over a decision that went against him, he blasted the ball across goal. Having already been cautioned, he was probably relieved that no further action was taken.

Mitchell May was next to miss a chance when Paxman’s cross wasn’t cleared, but the Rams’ striker failed to hit the target when he had more time than he probably realised. Benedict Bioletti stabbed past the post then Jerome Binnom-Williams blasted well wide before half time.

Having regrouped at the break, the Wings  started asking more questions of the Ramsgate defence. Majoyegbe met a Luke O’Neill free kick with a towering header that was pushed round the post brilliantly by Prall. Luke Allen then gave John Ufuah a sight of goal and his low shot was kept out unconvincingly by Prall.

Paxman cut in and again shot beyond the far post, however Welling now looked the more dangerous team and it took an important touch from a defender to thwart Femi Akinwande from getting on the end of Ufuah’s cross for a tap in.

Logan Dobbs had a header pushed over brilliantly by Prall. However, the Ramsgate goalkeeper was left helpless when the next corner broke for Dobbs and he fired home gleefully.

Three minutes later, the hosts were reduced to ten men when the already cautioned Tom Clifford was deemed to have fouled Ufuah and shown a second yellow card. Although he was fortunate to escape a dismissal in the first game between the two teams, on this occasion he appeared to be unlucky.

After a further three minutes, a melee in the Ramsgate six yard box ended with Dobbs and Binnom-Williams being sent off.

Kai McKenzie-Lyle tipped over a Paxman shot then, at the other end, O’Neill’s free kick missed the near post.

Billy Munday snatched at a shot for the Rams and it flew over then Prall made a brilliant double save to keep his team in the game with Ruben Shakpoke and Eze Ebuzoeme thwarted.

Further promising situations on the counter attack were wasted by Welling before substitute Josh Redfearn shot wide of the far post.

Despite more than ten minutes of stoppage time being played, Ramsgate didn’t threaten again and the Wings went home with the three points.

Ramsgate: Prall; Clifford, Brown, Binnom-Williams; Munday, Kingsford (Mundele 67); Bioletti (Barnes 90+10), Jadama, Paxman; May, Taylor.

Subs not used: Gard, Garrett, Todd.

Goalscorer: Taylor (19)

Yellow cards: Paxman (17 dissent), May (45+3 foul), Clifford (48 foul), Munday (72 dissent), Jadama (90 foul)

Red cards: Clifford (61 second yellow foul), Binnom-Williams (64 aggressive behaviour)

Welling United: McKenzie-Lyle; O’Neill, Dobbs, Majoyegbe, Adjetey-Brew; Ebuzoeme: Allen, Cundle (McIntosh 85), Ufuah (Redfearn 80); Akinwande (Shakpoke 74), Leahy (67 Williams-Bushell).

Sub not used: Norman.

Goalscorers: Ufuah (20), Dobbs (58)

Yellow cards: O’Neill (24 foul), McKenzie-Lyle (87 delay of restart), Williams-Bushell (90+9 foul)

Red card: Dobbs (64 aggressive behaviour)

Referee: Simon Cutler

Assistants: Darren Stock and Krystian Kaczala

Attendance: 956

Pictures supplied by Kieran North.