HAMPERED by the obscure league ruling that Welling United can only use the sixteen players named for their first game, Jamie Day shuffled his pack to get fresh legs in and was rewarded with three hard earned points .

Tommy Whitnell and Ben Billings started for the first time this season with Jordan Johnson and Joe Healy rested on the bench. The absence of Loui Fazakerley again meant Day was only able to name four substitutes.

It took Welling just four minutes to go ahead. Former Wings favourite Sonny Cobbs fouled Luis Cumbers wide on the right and Jack Obersteller’s free kick found Graeme Andrews in acres of space for a deft flick beyond goalkeeper Chris Winterton.

Lewes attempted an immediate reply but Tom Murphy’s long range shot did not trouble Charlie Mitten unduly and George Jones could find neither the power nor accuracy to worry the Welling keeper.

Captain Jack Parkinson was shown his third yellow card of the season for a wild challenge but Welling came back strongly and Jamie Day had a shot saved by Winterton following a weak punch away of a cross.

Jamie Coyle then had a long shot gathered at the second attempt before starting a flowing move that also involved Day and Parkinson and finished with Andy Pugh shooting just wide.

The Wings had a let off when Murphy rounded Mitten and saw his goal bound effort cleared off the line at full stretch by Obersteller. The clearance rebounded off the framework of the goal straight onto Andrews’ head and then hit the prone Obersteller on the goal line before being hacked away.

Coyle had to be withdrawn at half time with Femi Omegbehin substituting.

More good set up play gave Billings an opportunity that he skied over the crossbar and Parkinson had an effort palmed away by Winterton although he may have done better pulling back to Pugh or Whitnell who were both screaming for the ball.

After Cumbers had cut in and shot over Welling made their second change bringing on Healy for Billings and the substitute made an immediate impact.

After working his way through the centre of midfield he played Pugh into space and the Wings hit man opened his chest to curl the ball high into the top corner.

Pugh had another shot deflected wide, Cumbers also had an effort blocked away after good work by Healy and Andrews thought he had scored again only to see Winterton fling himself to his left to push the ball away.

Cobbs was then replaced by Tim Rivers who almost had an immediate effect but fired just wide following a half cleared corner.

Healy shot well over and Cumbers came close to killing the match off when he waltzed through the Lewes defence but rolled the ball agonisingly wide with Winterton beaten.

Rivers shot over again before Cumbers hit the side netting then shot over again following good work by Day.

Dean Cracknell, making his return having been injured in the first game of the season, replaced Parkinson before Lewes were reduced to ten men.

Andy Pearson was stretchered off having gone down apparently as a result of straining to make a tackle and as the Rooks had already made their three changes they were forced to finish one short.

Against the odds they pulled one back in the first of the four minutes of additional time.

Referee Nigel Lugg deemed a tackle by Omegbehin on Murphy to be a foul as Andy Sambrook looked to have the situation covered. Having tarnished an otherwise impressive 45 minutes, Omegbehin was also cautioned, somewhat harshly.

Although Mitten dived the right way Simon Wormull’s penalty was accurate and fierce enough to score.

Neither side threatened to score again and Welling ran out deserved winners.

Welling United: Mitten, Coyle (Omegbehin 45), Obersteller, Day, Andrews, Parkinson (Cracknell 90), Cumbers, Sambrook, Whitnell, Pugh, Billings (Healy 63). Unused substitute Johnson.