There was a degree of satisfaction for Welling when the honours were shared at Oxford City.

They created plenty of opportunities and kept their first clean sheet of the season but the point was not enough to stop them from dropping to the foot of the Vanarama National League South.

Rhys Murrell-Williamson, Finn O’Mara, Rob Strachan and Joe Taylor all came in for their debuts having signed since Welling’s previous game in mid-December as Brad Quinton looked to freshen up the squad.

A foul on Taylor almost brought Welling a goal in the first minute. Lyle Della-Verde took the free kick and fired towards the bottom corner. However, Ben Dudzinski got across and managed to bundle it around the post.

At the other end, Reice Charles-Cook turned over a Zac McEachran shot before getting behind his next effort.

Murrell-Williamson fired over for Welling before creating an opening for fellow Cray Wanderers loanee, Taylor, but the prolific striker was thwarted when his shot beat the Oxford stopper but not Aaron Drewe who made a stunning goal line clearance.

James Roberts then came very close for Oxford when his free kick struck the crossbar on the way over before Joe Oastler headed wide of his own near post when cutting out Nathan Green’s cross that was destined for Taylor’s head.

After the interval, Welling again looked lively and Della-Verde was through but fell as he shaped to shoot and screwed it wide. Taylor was then picked out by Murrell-Williamson in the inside right position and his shot looked destined for just inside the far post but again, Dudzinski made a fantastic save to deflect it beyond for another Welling corner.

Roberts hooked a shot just over for Oxford before a Della-Verde shot had the Hoops’ custodian beaten but went just wide. Green got onto the end of a scramble from a further Welling corner but his poked shot was cleared off the line by veteran centre forward Elliott Benyon.

Alfie Potter’s introduction gave the hosts fresh impetus and Welling had to dig deep as his long diagonal run created an opening for Roberts but he shot wide then Benyon headed inches beyond the far post when getting up for a deep Drewe free kick.

However, once Welling had seen out that spell, they looked the more likely winners and had a strong shout for a penalty when Drewe appeared to block Della-Verde’s shot on the goal-line with his arm.

Attacks from the hosts were now rare but Green showed commendable bravery to head away low inside the six yard box with boots flying around and he took a blow for his efforts.

As the game went into the latter stages, substitute Lionel Ainsworth created another great chance for Taylor but Dudzinski got across to make a stunning block. Ainsworth had one last chance in injury time but this time Dudzinski made a far more comfortable save.

Welling are back in action next Tuesday when they host St. Albans City at Park View Road.

Welling United: Charles-Cook, Johnson, Green, Della-Verde, O’Mara, Strachan, Shokunbi, Blackman, Taylor, Simons (Akinyemi 78), Murrell-Williamson (Ainsworth 86). Subs not used: Hobbs, Ryan, Ilic.