TROUBLED Welling United tried to put their off field woes behind them when entertaining Hampton and Richmond Borough.

Jamie Day gave league debuts to summer signings Jamie Coyle and Luis Cumbers whilst Andy Pugh returned having twice played for the Wings on loan.

Pugh gave Cumbers the opportunity to out pace David Stevens for the first chance of the match but he was unable to fire past Matt Lovett in the Hampton goal.

Graeme Andrews had to be alert to dispossess David Tarpey on a rare Beevers foray forward.

Joe Healy headed Loui Fazakerley’s cross straight at Lovett, Pugh had a shot deflected wide by Danny Allen-Page and Jack Parkinson had an effort blocked desperately by Dean Inman as Hampton struggled to cope with Welling’s passing football.

Lovett came to the visitor’s rescue once more, beating out a Parkinson header from a Jamie Day free kick.

Cumbers again skinned Stevens and gave Day a shooting opportunity but the player-managers effort was blocked for a corner.

Day almost caught Lovett out with the kick but the goal-keeper recovered to punch the ball away.

Just before half time Tarpey’s late and needless high tackle on Andrews resulted in the first yellow card of the day from referee Forrester.

Andy Sambrook replaced Dean Cracknell for the commencement of the second half but Welling struggled to repeat the fluency exhibited in the first half.

Fazakerley had a shot well turned away low at the near post after the ball was well held up by the impressive Pugh.

Pugh then shot wide after Sambrook’s effort was blocked.

After Parkinson had received a soft booking for an innocuous foul on Ian Hodges, Coyle had a header saved by Lovett from Jack Obersteller’s cross.

Craig Tanner’s reckless challenge from behind on Fazakerley earned him a caution and Coyle soon followed for a late tackle on Inman as the game became more fractured.

The disjointed nature of the match increased with a succession of substitutions, one of which allowed Ben Billings to make his first appearance for the Wings.

Hampton finally produced a shot on target with two minutes remaining, Charlie Mitten saving easily from substitute Charles Moore.

There was still time for Welling to produce one more chance but Day’s cross shot went beyond the far post and just out of reach of Tommy Whitnell.

Welling United: Mitten, Coyle, Obersteller, Day, Andrews, Parkinson, Fazakerley, Cracknell (Sambrook 46), Cumbers (Billings 83), Pugh, Healy (Whitnell 71). Unused substitutes Omegbehin, Johnson.