Welling United opened the new Confer-ence season with a 2-1 win over their bogey side Cheltenham at Park View Road on Saturday.

The Robins had secured only one previous win in 13 attempts against last season's runners-up and it looked for a while as if the jinx would continue when the ref awarded the visitors a dubious corner kick in the eighth minute. From it, Banks toe-poked the ball wide of keeper Glen Knight.

But Welling deservedly drew level on 26 minutes when Sam Appiah's cross-shot was stabbed in at the far post by Mark Hynes.

However, they only went in level courtesy of a brilliant save from Knight.

Cheltneham continued to give the home defence problems in the second period, but three minutes from time they paid the price for the failure in front of goal when Appiah burst through to clinch it with three miniutes left.

Welling visited title favourites Rushden & Diamonds last night and on Saturday are away to Telford.

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