Kai McKenzie-Lyle returned from international duty to help Welling United claim a point at Dover Athletic.

Although the Wings huffed and puffed, they had to depend on their goalkeeper and back four to come away from the South Coast with a goal-less draw. Up front, they struggled to find the quality needed to create chances with Chi Ezennolim and Taylor Maloney injured.

Andi Janjeva had the first effort for the hosts but McKenzie-Lyle wasn’t troubled with an easy save. He was not unduly concerned when claiming Freddie Oliver’s long range shot soon after. Myles Judd then prodded an attempt straight at the Welling goalkeeper.

Lee Martin gave him a sterner test with a close range shot that the Welling custodian blocked out and Jake Goodman might have done better with his header when Judd put it back into the mix.

Former Wing, Luke Wanadio, was allowed to cut in from the right and his shot took a difficult bounce meaning that McKenzie-Lyle had to be alert to turn it round the post, and he then ensured that Janjeva’s header from the subsequent corner didn’t cross the line.

After the half time break, Martin fired a free kick over as the chances started to dry up at both ends. Jordan Higgs looked to have sent Wanadio through but he checked allowing Kodi Lyons-Foster to block his path.

In a rare Welling foray, they appealed for a penalty when a shot by Ade Azeez struck the arm of Higgs in the area but the referee and his assistant thought otherwise and waved the claims away.

The last twenty minutes were particularly dour and it was a relief all round when the final whistle was blown.

On Monday, the Wings are in action again when hosting Eastbourne Borough in the knowledge that one more win would probably be sufficient to keep them in the National League South for another season.

Welling United: McKenzie-Lyle, Howard, Barnes, Parry, Sendles-White, Lyons-Foster, Dunne, Gavin, Azeez (Lisbie 85), Nkrumah (Elito 51), Pattisson. Subs not used: Cox, Papadopoulos, Andrews.