It took a late Troy Howard goal to rescue a draw for Welling United at Wingate and Finchley in their Isthmian League Premier Division encounter.

However, that point was the least that they deserved and was enough to ease the Wings out of the bottom four.

Camilo Restrepo had the first effort for the hosts with a twenty-five yard effort that flew harmlessly wide of the far post. Former Wing Stefan Ilic then hit a deep free kick that got caught in the heavy wind and Mackenzie Foley had to be alert to catch it under the cross-bar.

In the eighth minute, Rhamar Garrett-Douglas hit a deep diagonal cross into the Welling penalty area, it was allowed to bounce, and Loic Hernandez was first to it to slot it home.

Foley made an easy save from a Ben Frempah header before Welling started to assert themselves, winning a series of corners during which referee Derrick Laing twice warned the Wingate defenders for being two ‘hands-on’ in their defending. From one, delivered by Lewis Gard, Lekan Majoyegbe rose to meet it and his header came back out off the upright.

Early in the second period, Ryan Lowe hit a free kick just over for the hosts before the Wings again came close. Troy Howard drew a stunning save out of Joel Halliday and Jamie Reynolds follow-up shot was pushed onto the post and out by the Wingate goalkeeper.

Sam Smith then delivered a corner, and having not learned from the first half lectures, Billy Cracknell wrestled Majoyegbe to the ground. The referee pointed to the spot and cautioned the Wingate captain. Eventually, Ade Azeez stepped up but blasted his spot kick well over.

Another Smith corner caused havoc and Halliday could only punch it into the air. Dean Gunner headed it back towards goal and the Wingate goalkeeper again elected to punch. This time it fell to John Ufuah and a deflection took the sting out of his shot, allowing Halliday to save.

Caoilan McGettigan, one of the hosts’ substitutes, started to pose problems for the Wings and he worked his way through before shooting from the edge of the penalty area and drawing a good low save out of Foley.

Howard had an effort saved easily by Halliday before the Wings again went close when Majoyegbe headed another Smith corner down to Gunner and his shot was cleared off the line.

Ryan Maxwell changed the team’s shape by making a double substitution, which included a debut for Oliver Reeve before another substitute, Noah Stewart, shot inches wide on the turn from eighteen yards.

Two minutes of regulation time remained when the Wings equalised. Foley picked out Howard with a pin-point accurate seventy-five yard pass, the Welling wide man killed it with his first touch, and he then fired home just inside the far post.

Although Afi Adebayo headed just over in stoppage time, Foley had it covered and the game drew to a close with the spoils shared.

Wingate and Finchley: Halliday; Garrett-Douglas (Soloman 70), Frempah, Cracknell, Townsend-West; Cornish, Rowe; Hernandez, Akinola (Adebayo 82), Ilic (McGettigan 65); Restraopo (Bartlett -Antwi 82). Sub not used: Horsley-McKay.

Goalscorer: Hernandez (8)
Yellow cards: Cracknell (55 foul), Townsend-West (59 foul), Cornish (74 foul)

Welling United: Foley; O’Keefe, Majoyegbe, Gunner (Paternoster 84), Arthur; Thomas (Stewart 67), Smith; Howard, Gard (Reynolds 46), Ufuah (Reeve 84); Azeez. Sub not used: Oluwatimilehin.

Goalscorer: Howard (88)
Yellow cards: Gard (18 delay of restart), Howard (18 dissent), Majoyegbe (89 foul)

Referee: Derrick Laing
Assistants: Benjamin Kelly and Ben Soll

Attendance: 391