Victory against Tonbridge Angels meant that Welling United completed the festive season double over their Kent rivals.

Warren Feeney made one change from the team that won on Boxing Day, bringing in Antony Papadopoulos for the ill Stefan Payne.

In the first match the Wings started quickly, and they did likewise in the return fixture at their Park View Road ground. In the first minute Papadopoulos was unable to get onto the end of an Aaron Powell cross. Jamie Sendles-White then flicked a shot against the bar after Manny Parry had headed down a Taylor Maloney free kick.

Maloney struck another free kick wide, then James Dunne fired over before Welling went ahead. A swift passing move involving Dan Nkrumah and Powell, followed by clever interplay between Amadou Kassarate and Maloney presented the latter with a chance and he smashed home an unstoppable shot from twenty yards.

Tommy Parkinson came close to levelling but couldn’t finish after Jamie Fielding headed back a Lewis Gard corner. Joe Turner then cut in but screwed his shot wide of the near post before the visitors equalised midway through the first half. Scott Wagstaff crossed, and it fell kindly for Gard who had time to fire inside the far post.

Jordan Greenidge then had a chance to put the Angels ahead, but he poked wide when he had time to control it before Welling finished the first period strongly and went back ahead. Nkrumah was the architect with exceptional close control down the left hand side before he drove in a cross towards the near post that Ade Azeez met with a close-range finish.

There was still time for the visitors to create a chance before half time, but Myles Roberts made an excellent save to thwart Gard.

Just as they had done in the first period, Welling started quickly after the break and a swift passing movement allowed Maloney to lay it off into the path of Powell, but he drove his shot wide. Sonny Miles, the Tonbridge captain, then made a brilliant goal-line clearance from Azeez’s cross-shot with Kassarate awaiting a tap in.

Papadopoulos headed over from a Maloney free kick before coming close when he turned his man but his attempted slot past Jonny Henly came back off the post.

Substitute Tommy Fagg struck just over from thirty yards before Welling had a huge shout for a penalty when Fagg brought Kassarate down in the eighteen-yard box. Referee Robert Claussen thought otherwise and awarded a free kick to the visitors and cautioned the Welling player.

Tonbridge threw players forward and Roberts made another good save from Wood. However, that left them short at the back and Azeez had a fantastic opportunity to finish the contest but his attempt to slot it home was foiled by the outstretched right boot of Henly.

That did not prove costly as the final whistle blew soon after with the festive season maximum points return for Welling completed.

Welling United: Roberts, James, Powell, Dunne, Sendles-White, Parry, Kassarate, Nkrumah (Elito 77), Papadopoulos (Curran 84), Azeez, Maloney (90+2). Sub not used: McKenzie-Lyle, Howard.