Depleted Welling United lost for just the second time in eleven games on a miserable night at St. Albans City.

Sean Francis failed to recover from his hamstring problems on Saturday, and Jordan Brown pulled out with a knee injury having been named in the original starting line up. Christian Nanetti did play despite having a high temperature earlier in the day.

Sam Merson thought he had scored in the first meaningful attack but Chris Lewington made a fantastic save, tipping away for a corner.

Fifteen minutes had passed when the hosts went ahead. Louie Theophanouis crossed deep and Charlie Walker's far post effort appeared to take a deflection to leave Lewington helpless.

Four minutes later and the same two combined to make it two. This time, Theophanouis crossed low and Danny Waldren could only block as far as Walker and he smashed home gleefully.

Walker came close to making it three when another effort took a deflection and floated just wide of the far post.

Former Wing Ben Martin headed wide from a corner as St. Albans looked to finish it off.

Finally, Welling combined their spirit with some attacking football and Adam Coombes had an effort deflected wide.

Theophanous then got in behind the Welling defence but Lewington made an excellent save with his feet..

On 40 minutes, Welling reduced the arrears. Christian Nanetti broke down the right wing and after being stopped initially, he followed up and fired home with the aid of a slight deflection.

There was still time before the break for Shaun Lucien to put in a dangerous cross that Waldren did superbly to get away.

Immediately after the break, Harry Crawford thought he had levelled with a fine shot but he was denied by the linesman's flag.

Again, Theophanous caused problems down the right wing and although his cross was slightly behind Merson, he tried an acrobatic bicycle kick that flew over.

At the other end, Welling's fine passing move ended when Coombes created space for himself with clever footwork, but fired high over the bar.

Concerns for the hosts were eased when once again, the tricky Theophanous created havoc on the right wing and his shot was turned past Lewington by the unfortunate Matt Fish.

As time ran down, substitute Dan Walker fed Ali Fuseini, but his clever effort with the outside of the boot just missed the far post.

Coombes pulled one back when rounding James Russell and slotting home but the was barely time for game to restart before the final whistle blew.

Welling United: Lewington, Fish, Johnson, Hatton, Hayles, Waldren, Nanetti (Slabber 83), Fuseini, Crawford (Williams 90), Coombes, Joseph-Dubois (Walker 69). Subs not used: Agu.