FOLLOWING Saturday’s victory over Weston-super-Mare, Welling United fielded the same starting XI against St Albans City but they were unable to repeat the trick as the Wings were beaten 1-0.

Newcomers James Baker and Sanchez Ming were both on the bench for Andy Ford’s side.

A poor back pass from Adam Gross in the first minute almost gave the visitors an opening, but Graeme Andrews made a good saving block tackle.

Welling’s first opportunity came in the seventh minute when Jerome Anderson outpaced James Fisher and pulled the ball back to Gross, but he was unable to make a clean enough connection to trouble Paul Bastock in the visiting goal.

Further chances for Welling arose when an Ellis Green free-kick was deflected wide and then Charlie Sheringham had a shot blocked.

Tony Sinclair was the first person to be shown a yellow card, although he looked to have made a good tackle, before St Albans went ahead.

A strange tackle on Sheringham by Bastock in the St Albans area saw the ball squirm away.

While the Saints custodian rolled around in apparent agony, his team mates broke clear.

Gary Cohen made his way into the area and Matthew McEntegart made a tackle for which the assistant referee immediately raised his flag to signal a penalty.

McEntegart was shown the yellow card before Jonathan Hunt sent Jamie Turner the wrong way from the spot kick.

Turner then punched away a cross before being called into action again by making a good save from a Scott Cousins shot.

St Albans continued to press and had a big shout for another penalty, this time for handball, turned down before a rare Welling break saw Anderson cut in and shoot over.

Ford took action at half-time, replacing the ineffective Green and Gross with new signings Ming and Baker.

The move almost paid dividends when Ming skinned Cousins, but the now fully recovered Bastock was able to save with little difficulty.

St Albans then used tactics designed to break up any flowing football and cautions for Hunt and James Fisher sandwiched a shocking lunge by Ben Martin, which could have caused a serious injury had he made contact with any Welling player nearby.

As good football became rarer, Simon Martin pulled a pass back well but Hunt shot wide.

St Albans brought on former Welling loanee Hector Mackie with 20 minutes to go, but his only contribution was to become the fifth player to find his way into Mr Bampton’s notebook.

Ford made his final substitution by bringing on young Richard Stevens for Sheringham before Bastock thwarted the Wings twice by punching out shots from Anderson and Ming.

The hosts looked like they had a good shout for a penalty in the 86th minute when Baker’s legs were swept from under him by Cousins, but the referee deemed there to be nothing wrong with the tackle.

Welling: Turner, Andrews, Cobbs, Blackburn, Matthew McEntegart, Sinclair, Green (Baker 45), Johnson, Anderson, Sheringham (Stevens 75), Gross (Ming 45). Subs not used: Quinn, Michael McEntegart.