New Welling management team Jody Brown and Glen Little faced a baptism of fire when visiting in form Dover Athletic.

Kieron St. Aimie split the Dover defence with a superb through ball but Malachi Hudson stabbed wide early on, but then the hosts took control.

Stefan Payne created an opening for Nick Deverdics but he was unable to get over it and could not keep his header down.

There was a suspicion of offside when Dover went ahead. Tom Murphy found Payne well clear of the back four, and the Dover leading scorer made no mistake with a good finish.

Richard Orlu clattered Welling goalkeeper Benji Buchel from a corner but the Liechtenstein international was able to continue after treatment.

After 36 minutes, Dover made the most of their pressure and went two up when Murphy curled an effort into the top corner.

Murphy and Payne again combined to give Deverdics an opportunity just before the break, but he was unable to find the target with Welling stretched.

It took less than one second half minute for Welling to go further behind. Payne was the creator with a cross that was finished by a near post Murphy header.

Joe Healy cleared a cross off the line and Buchel saved from Connor Essam before Brown made a double change for the Wings replacing Healy and St. Aimie with Malik Ouani and Charlie Penny.

Sam Corne played Hudson in but his cross, looking for Penny, was claimed by Andrew Rafferty for his first intervention of the game.

He was in action again a few minutes later when claiming a through ball as Welling started to show a little more spark then Penny brought a comfortable save out of Rafferty with a looping header.

James Poole came on for Dover and almost scored immediately when turning Murphy's cross against the near post.

Brown made his final change when bringing on Kostas Kiassos for his Welling debut in the closing minutes but there was still time for further pain for the Wings.

Deep into injury time, Poole was brought down inside the penalty area by Buchel. The Wings goalkeeper was sent off and Chris Bush took the goalkeeping shirt. Poole took his time before sending Bush the wrong way.

Welling United: Buchel, Williams, Bush, Gallagher, Fagan, Fyfield, Bassele, Corne, St. Aimie, Hudson, Healy. Unused substitutes: Henly, Jefford.