Eagerness of referees to award penalties against Welling United showed again as Welling United tumbled to defeat at home to St. Albans City.

The one nil defeat leaves the Wings still yet to win a point at their Park View Road ground.

It could have been so much different but for the fingertips of St Albans' goalkeeper James Russell in the opening minutes.

Dan Walker fed onto Archie Johnson's excellent cross field pass but Russell got enough contact to touch Walker's shot onto the crossbar..

Shaun Lucien had a header deflected over from Dipo Akinyemi's cross before Harry Crawford fired over when breaking away from a corner.

Lee Chappell slung over a free kick and found Tom Bender but Chris Lewington made a stunning save to keep out the former Wings' header.

Lucien then crossed for Louie Theophanous but Lewington made another brilliant reaction save with his legs.

Junior Morias limped off with what appeared to be a bad injury but made a miraculous recovery to smash a free kick into the defensive wall.

Morias then had another effort from a tight angle but Lewington was in the right place to save.

Four minutes before the break, the Saints went ahead. Lucien burst through and was deemed to have been brought down by Mitchell Nelson. Morias stepped up and slammed his penalty straight down the middle.

Mark Goldberg, Welling's manager, made a tactical change at half time and Johnson was sacrificed for Sam Hatton.

Almost immediately, he made his presence felt with a corner that Nelson headed over.

Nelson then created an opportunity that Waldren headed over before Akinyemi broke away for the visitors but dragged his shot just beyond the far post.

Once again, Nelson was in the thick of things when his thunderous header cannoned back off the crossbar.

Substitute Oliver Sprague then found Bobby Devyne but his shot went wide although it appeared to have taken a deflection.

Bender then almost helped out his old club with a weak header but Russell was out sharply to deny Walker.

Waldren then came close when arriving late at the far post, but once again the excellent Russell was around quickly to save.

That proved to be the last chance for a tiring Welling team and the Saints' substitute Sam Merson kept the hosts' defence busy.

First he headed over when well positioned then he shot into the ground and it lobbed up to give Lewington an easy save. Then he shot from a wide angle but Lewington was down well to save.

It may be helpful for Welling that there is no midweek game coming up so they will have an extra training session to prepare for the long trip to Truro next Saturday.

Welling United: Lewington, Nelson, Brown, Hayles, Francis, Leacock (Sprague 69), Devyne, Waldren, Crawford (Slabber 56), Walker, Johnson (Hatton 46). Unused Substitutes: Banton, Agu.