Shot-shy Welling United tumbled to a poor home defeat against St Albans City who started the day at the foot of the Vanarama National League South.

Wings manager Mark Goldberg was forced into making one change from the team that played their F.A. Cup games against Eastleigh. Ejiro Okosieme failed a fitness test so had to drop out and Goldberg elected for Dquame Copeland to partner Rob Swaine in the centre of defence.

David Longe-King had the first goal attempt when meeting Oliver Sprague’s free kick but there was no power in his header and Daniel Wilks saved easily.

Wilks then had to show his ability as a footballer as well as a goalkeeper when he was unsure whether a tackle would be considered as a back pass so he brought it down with his chest on his goal-line and cleared upfield.

Anthony Cook then slung in a deep cross but Jack Jebb at full stretch was unable to guide it goal-wards.

Twenty minutes had passed when Welling were forced into making a substitution. Bradley Goldberg had to leave the field with a groin strain and Aaron Cosgrave replaced him.

Albert Adu created another opening for the Saints when sending Zane Banton away, Copeland made a challenge to slow him down, but Banton was still able to get a shot off and Wilks made a good stop with his boot.

One of four former Wings in the Saints’ squad, Joe Howe, also failed to make it to half time and he was replaced by Dave Diedhiou but that didn’t slow down the visitors and Banton headed over from a Sprague corner soon afterwards.

Adam Coombes had a header deflected over from Cook’s cross and Connor Dymond came close when a Jebb free kick was half cleared and Dymond’s low volley fizzed just past the post.

Soon after, St Albans broke the dead-lock. Adu was given time to control a long pass, switch it onto his left foot, and fire into the bottom corner.

Jebb got onto the end of another Cook cross but his side-foot volley was off target then Coombes shot first time wide as he fell when he got onto the end of a cross by Cosgrave.

At the break Welling made their other two substitutions, bringing on Theo Widdrington for Dymond and Gavin McCallum for Danny Waldren.

Despite that, St Albans started the second half quicker and Adu put a shot high over before they created a three versus one break from a Welling corner. Sprague could have played a simple pass across the pitch but chose to try and put Adu through. However his through ball was too close to Sanchez Ming who intercepted. Through his frustration, Sprague lunged in on Ming and might have been punished more heavily than receiving a yellow card.

This appeaed to rouse Welling and they upped the pace and started to create problems. Ming sent over a dangerous cross and St Albans didn’t deal with it. It fell to McCallum who put it into the side-netting tamely with Cook screaming for a pull back.

Swaine headed a Cook corner goalwards, but with little power, and Dean Snedker made an easy save then Copeland headed wide from a Cook free kick.

Cosgrave found Widdrington but his shot was blocked wide for a corner then Jebb also had an effort deflected wide.

When Coombes headed Cook’s corner wide Welling’s last chance, and the three points, were gone.

On Tuesday night Welling travel to Slough Town looking for an immediate bounce back.

Welling United: Wilks, Ming, Anderson, Dymond (Widdrington 46), Swaine, Copeland, Jebb, Waldren (McCallum 46), Goldberg (Cosgrave 20), Coombes, Cook. Subs not used: Rich-Baghuelou, Green.