Rod Stringer’s Welling United moved one step closer to avoiding relegation when they claimed an only goal victory against Torquay United.

Two days earlier Welling announced the news that Stringer and his assistant Kevin Watson had agreed to stay on for the 2024-25 season and they celebrated with a win over full time but troubled Torquay. Since taking over, they have turned the J.Hearnden Skip Hire Community Stadium into a fortress with six wins and three draws.

There were few chances in the early exchanges before Jason Adigun and Crossley Lema combined to find Cameron Green in space down the wing. He laid it back to Anthony Grant whose shot flew beyond the far post.

Jack Stobbs had a chance with a free kick for the Gulls in a promising position. Although he beat the defensive wall, he couldn’t find the accuracy to put it inside the near post.

Midway through the first half, Torquay’s task became harder when Green broke into the visitors’ half and Ross Marshall dived in with excessive force resulting in him being shown a red card. Five minutes later, Welling scored the crucial goal. Green found Adigun and he eased in before hitting a shot that squirmed under the body of Torquay goalkeeper Mark Halstead, and into the net.

Brett McGavin fired over for Torquay from twenty-five yards but Welling went close again in first half stoppage time when Lachlan Byrd headed wide of the near post having met Riccardo Di Trolio’s long throw.

After the break, Torquay pushed for a leveller and Welling goalkeeper Reice Charles-Cook was called upon to save well from Brett McGavin before they missed a great opportunity. Duane Ofori-Acheampong’s flicked header was met by Tom Lapslie who contrived to nod it over from just a few feet out.

Another McGavin shot took a deflection and Charles-Cook had to push it around the post before the visitors missed a further glorious chance when Arkell Jude-Boyd’s deep cross picked out Ofori-Acheampong but he miss-cued his volley from close range and it flew away harmlessly.

Stringer responded by making two substitutions with Joe Ellul on to shore up the defence, and Gene Kennedy for an extra body in midfield. Other than a tame shot from Lapslie that was easily gathered by Charles-Cook, the visitors didn’t threaten again.

Kennedy hit a crisp drive for Welling that flew inches wide before Adigun shot wide of the near post.

In the last fifteen minutes, Welling had more space to create opportunities but were kept to long range efforts. Jack Burchell shot wide before Antony Papadopoulos set up Reece Grant who shot over.

One last chance fell to Grant in stoppage time but his clipped shot dipped wide.

Victory pushed the Wings up to sixteenth in the league table with an eight point buffer and three games remaining.

Welling United: Charles-Cook, Lema (Johnson 87), Green (Ellul 57), Byrd, Burchell, Di Trolio, Adigun, A. Grant, Amoo (Kennedy 62), R. Grant, Papadopoulos. Subs not used: Roscrow, Munns.