Maidenhead United 0-3 Welling United

Knowing that Welling had not won since defeating Woking on 18th September the hosts may have felt that roughing them up was the answer and Bobby Behzadi soon found his way into the referee’s notebook following an ugly tackle on Joe Healy .

Full back Behzadi earned a further warning from inconsistent referee Derek Eaton before kicking the ball away in front of the hapless official yet getting away scot free.

Meanwhile, Welling attempted to play football however two efforts by Andy Pugh and a free kick from Jack Obersteller were easily fielded by Steve Williams.

Andrew Fagan just failed to get onto the end of a free kick before Welling’s Loick Pires was cautioned for kicking the ball away despite the leniency that had been shown to Behzadi for an identical offence earlier.

After another Pugh shot had been gathered by Williams, the hosts had their only decent spell of the match.

Ashley Nicholls had a shot easily saved by Gareth Stewart and Bradley Quamina shot wide after picking up a misplaced Welling pass.

Pugh, Healy and Obersteller combined to give Luis Cumbers an effort just before half time but he failed to keep his effort under the crossbar.

Just two minutes of the second half had elapsed when Welling went ahead.

Cumbers ran on to a fine through ball from Pugh and tucked the ball low beyond Williams’ outstretched right arm.

Referee Eaton again failed to take the appropriate action when a reckless rush out by Williams resulted in him fouling Pugh who was clear through on goal.

Whether it was the theatrical play-acting by the goalkeeper or just the referee’s refusal to follow the guidelines set out, only a yellow card was brandished for an offence that was a clear sending off misdemeanour.

It mattered little as Welling moved into over-drive producing wave after wave of attacks.

Pires headed wide from a Jamie Day corner but was not to be denied for long.

Cumbers crossed from the wide and Pires chested down before firing home spectacularly beyond the helpless Williams.

The former Orient striker came close again before Welling notched their third.

Although Fagan blocked Pugh’s first time effort, Healy was alert enough to be first to the loose ball and lift the ball over the prostrate stopper.

At that point there were still fifteen minutes remaining and the Magpies will consider themselves lucky not to have conceded further goals.

A fine move between Cumbers and Healy gave Pugh a chance that he struck narrowly over the bar, Fagan then blocked Pugh’s shot on the line after Williams had fumbled Healy’s cross and an inch perfect through ball by substitute Loui Fazakerley played Pires in but his effort was struck straight at the prone Williams.

Desperate Maidenhead midfielder Ashley Nicholls was cautioned for a silly hack on Lee Clarke before being skinned by Fazakerley whose cross shot went just beyond the far post and narrowly out of the reach of Pugh.

Welling’s leading scorer knew it was not to be his day when deep into injury time his first time effort cannoned back off the post.

Welling United: Stewart, Coyle, Obersteller, Day, Andrews, Parkinson, Cumbers (Fazakerley 77), Clarke, Pires, Pugh, Healy (Johnson85). Unused substitutes Omegbehin, Acheampong.