Welling 1-1 Dartford

At 1-0 up with one minute remaining, and a penalty awarded in their favour, the hosts appeared to be heading for victory.

Louis Wells made a crucial save from Lee Clarke’s penalty and Dartford scrambled the ball out, broke out and scored a last minute equaliser courtesy of Lee Noble's header that went in off the far post.

Nick Pope, on a 28-day loan from Charlton Athletic, made his Welling debut in place of Dan Thomas who had returned to Bournemouth.

Jack Obersteller was restored to the Wings line up following injury in place of Anthony Acheampong.

Jacob Erskine and Richard Graham missed out from the Dartford team that were held at home to Dorchester last time out, with Tony Garrod and Danny Harris starting in their places.

Extra spice was added to the local derby tension by the proximity of the two clubs in the league table with Welling starting the game in second place whilst Dartford were fourth.

Tom Bonner had the first goal attempt of the match when he hooked a volley wide after Ryan Hayes had created the opportunity.

Pope made his first Welling ‘save’ from a Tom Champion long shot then Jon Wallis fired wide from twenty yards following good work by Elliott Bradbrook.

Having enjoyed territorial advantage for the first 20 minutes the visitors put themselves in danger conceding a needless free kick just outside the penalty area on their left hand side.

After the delivery was delayed twice for the referee to speak to Bonner and Ben Martin, who were jostling for position, Obersteller failed to get sufficient power to trouble Wells at his near post.

Loick Pires out muscled Matt Jones and squared for Andy Pugh but the Wings’ leading scorer saw his effort blocked by Connor Essam.

Pires and Jones again tussled a few moments later and when the full back clipped the Welling front man, referee Charles Breakspear had an easy decision in awarding a spot kick.

Although Wells was able to get a firm hand to Clarke’s penalty, the shot had sufficient power to beat him.

Now in the ascendancy, Welling again stretched the Dartford defence and Luis Cumbers hit over from six yards after a fine break from Jack Evans.

Pugh then gave Joe Healy the opportunity to shoot for a birthday goal but his twenty five yarder was saved by Wells.

Early in the second half, Pires found that he could also cause problems down the right wing and Wells had to be alert to block at his near post at the cost of a corner.

Wallis earned the first yellow card of the match for a foul on Cumbers and Welling’s Jack Parkinson was booked shortly afterwards as the game became more open.

Garrod found space for a header for Dartford but headed wide when he should probably have done better before Pires screwed a shot off target having brought a difficult ball down well.

Healy and Champion’s fierce midfield challenge in the 58th minute saw the Welling player dismissed and the Dartford player booked.

Wallis shot wide for the Darts before Pugh did likewise at the other end.

After Garrod had attempted a back heel flick that Pope saved, Welling went very close to extending their lead.

Obersteller broke well and put in a beautiful pass to Cumbers who pulled the ball back unselfishly to Pugh.

Having made space well, Pugh saw his shot deflected by Bonner onto the crossbar and the ball cannoned out to Clarke whose low shot went just wide.

Jamie Day and Clarke were both booked before Tony Burman made a double substitution bringing on Graham and Erskine for Champion and Garrod but despite being short handed, Welling continued to get forward whenever possible.

Another marauding Obersteller run ended with a foul by Essam and ex Dart Day saw his free kick tipped over the bar by Wells.

Burman made a further change bringing on Noble for Wallis after 77 minutes but Welling looked like holding firm before the late drama.

Bonner handled a cross at the cost of a penalty and a yellow card but after Wells saved Clarke’s spot kick, the ball found its way out to Hayes wide left and he crossed for Noble to head home.

Deep into injury time, Adam Green hit a long range effort that Pope saved to maintain parity.

The clubs meet again in the return fixture at Princes Park on 2nd January.

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Welling United: Pope, Evans, Obersteller (Johnson 87), Day, Parkinson, Martin, Healy, Clarke, Cumbers, Pugh, Pires. Unused substitutes: Sambrook, Acheampong, Dolby, Tuna.

Dartford: Wells, Jones, Green, Bonner, Essam, Champion (Graham 72), Hayes, Wallis (Noble 77), Garrod (Erskine 72), Bradbrook, Harris. Unused substitutes: Rogers, Ibrahim