Tired Welling United fell to defeat at home to Hampton and Richmond Borough in the Vanarama National League South.

Playing their fourth game in fourteen days, including a gruelling trip to Torquay United where they worked so hard for no reward, proved to be half a game too much. They played well for the first forty-five minutes but ran out of steam against a well rested team who had not played for ten days.

All sixteen in Rod Stringer’s match day squad were given some playing time as he tried to find a way to keep them fresh but they were unable to reach the levels that they achieved on the English Riviera. In the first half against Hampton they played well but they couldn’t keep it up against a team who were better rested having only played one match since Boxing Day.

Stringer was in no mood to use that as an excuse and would have been delighted when his team came out positively. Theo Alexandrou had two efforts, one wide and one saved, before TJ Bramble fired over from twenty yards after being set up by Anthony Grant. Welling continued to zip it around and went ahead in the tenth minute when Daniel Martin crossed low to Josh Redfearn and he spun before firing home.

Although the hosts continued to look the more likely to score again, Hampton levelled midway through the first half. Ex-Wing Kristian Campbell slung in a corner that Dylan Berry could only punch out to the edge of the penalty area. Ibrahim Jalloh met it on the volley and it struck a Welling defender before looping in just under the bar.

Six minutes later, the Wings restored their lead. Martin again claimed the assist when laying it back to Kennedy and his clean strike gave Ted Curd no chance in the Hampton goal.

Berry made a good low save from Jalloh before Redfearn had a shot blocked by a last ditch challenge at the other end.

Mauro Vilhete had a couple of half chances, first hitting wide before and then heading over before the first half drew to a close.

Four minutes after the break, Grant had to be replaced and with Sam Cornish already injured, Stringer had to ask Kennedy to take on the holding midfield role. After a further four minutes, Hampton levelled. Another Campbell corner picked out Vilhete and he headed home inside the near post.

Bramble headed over from a Martin corner before Hampton went ahead. Again Berry failed to get any distance on a punch out, and again the shot, this time from Vilhete, took a big deflection to help it into the net.

After that, the fourth meanest defence in the league snubbed out anything that Welling had to offer as the visitors tried to pick off the Wings on the break. Marise Evans shot wildly when he probably had more time than he realised then Berry did well to smother at Vilhete’s feet. Evans got through but his shot was blocked by Riccardo Di Trolio.

Deep into injury time, Welling came desperately close to claiming a point when a shot by Sahid Kamara whistled just past the post.

On Saturday, the Wings are back in action at Park View Road when they host Boreham Wood.

Welling United: Berry, Statham (Johnson 86), Martin (Ondo 79), Burchell, Winfield, Di Trolio, Kennedy, Grant (Walker 49), Redfearn (Kamara 65), Alexandrou, Bramble (Taylor-Crossdale 79). Subs not used: None.