City were denied a deserved maximum haul of points by an 89th minute leveller for the home side in this pulsating Nationwide South encounter between two sides who definitely see themselves as part of the promotion picture.

It was clear from the outset that this was going to be a full-blooded encounter and there was a double booking issued by the referee as things boiled over slightly after only four minutes. Craig Dobson was unceremoniously brought down by Lee Gledhill as he scampered upfield. Dobson reacted angrily and both found their way into Mr Fay’s notebook.

Craig Dobson bursts into the box

Despite plenty of endeavour, there was little for Welling’s best crowd of the season to get excited about in the first period. Chances were at a premium as both sides failed to produce the goods in the final third of the field.

Kedwell scuffed a shot well wide, Dobson’s run and cross fell just behind Michael Gash and Mark Molesley pulled an effort well wide as things failed to click.

The best chance of the half fell to Gash as he got on the end of Craig Pope’s ball down the line. Showing good strength to hold off towering defender Lee Shearer, the City youngster cut inside and forced Jamie Turner to produce a good block at the foot of his post.

Welling came close to breaking the deadlock within a minute of the second period getting underway. From the kick-off City gave the ball way and Welling broke away with Matt Bodkin delivering a deep cross to the back post that cannoned off Kedwell and into the path of James Pinnock but he could only find the side netting as Danny Naisbitt raced from his line.

Two minutes later and City should have taken the lead but Paul Booth despite having done all the approach play perfectly failed to take what was an easy chance by his high standards. Having received a flick-on from Gash, the former Welling hitman sold the perfect dummy to Shearer before cutting inside. Another shimmy had the keeper on his backside but with the goal at his mercy Booth managed to hit Turner’s leg and the ball rolled wide. Much to City’s annoyance, the referee gave a goalkick.

Welling responded with Kedwell dispatching a powerful drive into the fans behind Naisbitt’s goal before the striker was involved in a case of mistaken identity. Kedwell clearly flattened Matt Langston from behind long after the defender played the ball back to Naisbitt. None of the officials saw the incident and play continued to the other end where City won a corner. When the fact that Langston lay prone was got across to Mr Fay he consulted his assistant and concluded that there had been an infringement and duly booked the wrong man, Pinnock being the unfortunate recipient.

Paul Booth wins this aerial challenge

On fifty five minutes, City were awarded a free-kick in a good position following a foul on Booth. The striker picked himself up and almost caught out Turner as he arranged his wall, curling in a shot that the keeper only just kept out with a sprawling save. City picked up the loose ball and Dobson produced a shot on the turn that saw Leon Solomon produce a fantastic clearance off the line to preserve parity.

City were very much in the ascendancy but were given a warning just after the hour when Pinnock did well to produce room for a cross that gave Kedwell a free header but he planted his effort over the bar, although he looked to have pushed Glen Fuff to obtain the space.

City went straight up the other end and Booth forced Turner to claw his shot out of the air at full stretch, the ball bouncing agonisingly out of reach of an inrushing Josh Simpson. However, Welling couldn’t get the ball clear as City pressed and Simpson’s nod down saw Gash crash a close range drive against the bar.

Danny Naisbitt was lucky to only receive a yellow card after a clash with Kedwell. Bodkin’s forward ball looked a routine task to collect but City’s stopper collided with Langston and the ball squirmed from his grasp. Naisbitt attempted to shield the ball behind but Kedwell robbed him and the keeper lashed out with his boot, bringing the Welling man crashing to the floor. Fortunately for Naisbitt, the referee saw it as an attempt to gain possession rather than violent conduct.

With just under twenty minutes left, City finally took what was a deserved lead.Lee Chaffey found Gash who gave Solomon the slip and dribbled his way into the area before poking the ball into Booth who’s spin and lay-off set up Dobson to smash an unstoppable drive across Turner and into the far corner.

Mark Molesley takes on the Welling defence

As time ticked by City just didn’t look like they were likely to surrender their advantage as Welling huffed and puffed as they looked for a way back in. In fact City should have extended their lead and got the second that would have almost certainly killed off Welling.

An outstretched leg was all that prevented Booth from rolling the ball home following a penetrating run and Dobson produced a 30 yard sizzler that Turner could only parry, but the keeper was alert enough to push the loose ball way as Langston looked odds on to gobble up the rebound.

With two minutes left on the clock, Welling produced their first shot the game on target as Kedwell headed Solomon’s cross back across goal where Pinnock poked the ball goalwards, but he couldn’t get enough on it and Langston was able to hook it off the line and behind. From the corner kick Welling produced a “get out of jail” card. Naisbitt initially repelled borders with a good punch but substitute Che Stadhart returned the ball into the danger area, a scramble ensued and the ball ran kindly for Kedwell who couldn’t miss from six yards.

With their tails now up and the crowd behind them and four minutes of injury time to play, Welling sniffed a dramatic winner and came mighty close when Steve Perkins flashed a Jamie Day corner a couple of feet wide of the post but that would have been very hard to swallow for a City side who’s performance merited more than it actually produced.