There was excitement galore in Berkshire when Welling United held off late Slough Town pressure to claim three much needed Vanarama National League South points.

Coming into the game, Welling started second favourites having lost their previous five league and cup games to leave them hovering dangerously above the bottom four relegation spaces. Slough started the day in seventh place. They also had a record of just one home defeat in any competition since the start of September 2023.

Although Francis Armartey fired into the side netting in the second minute, it was the Wings who made the better start.

Charlie Horlock, Slough’s goalkeeper, had to be out quickly to save at the feet of Chiori Johnson before Welling went ahead. Maxwell Statham sent Josh Redfearn away and he marked his full debut by holding off his man and firing in off the far post.

Dan Bayliss headed over from a Slough corner before Josh Jackman found the net, but well after the referee’s whistle had gone for a foul.

Shortly after the half hour mark, Welling doubled their lead. Gene Kennedy’s initial shot was blocked but when it came back to him, he made no mistake when arrowing it into the bottom corner.

Rhys Lovett, back from injury, made a good low save from Leon Chambers-Parillon, then a more comfortable one from another Bayliss header.

Six minutes after the break, Welling added a third when Kennedy sent the outstanding Johnson clear and his touch took him past Horlock before he turned it home. Incredibly, that was just the second time in the league that the Wings have scored more than twice.

As would have been expected, Slough made a change, replacing wide man David Ogbonna with central striker Sam Evans, and within two minutes they pulled a goal back. A defender fell over the ball and stopped it dead giving Slavi Spasov an opportunity that he took with relish.

Evans then drew a brilliant save out of Lovett, but the Welling goalkeeper was powerless to stop the big man from slotting home midway through the second period.

Smelling blood, Slough pressed forward and Armartey missed two good chances, first shooting over from close range and then drilling wide after holding off his marker. It wasn’t all one way traffic though, and a shot by Sam Cornish whistled just over.

Gary Abisogun replaced Armartey and had a shot deflected beyond the far post after a clever set up by Chambers Parillon. Abisogun was again in the thick of it when firing over as Welling struggled to clear.

Anthony Grant came on for Welling with ten minutes remaining and his wise head seemed to settle the young Wings as the expected bombardment was not forthcoming. Bayliss was cautioned for kicking the ball at Johnson who was down having been fouled by Dan Roth. Then, in stoppage time, his frustration got the better of him again when he stamped on Garrett Kelly and was shown a straight red card.

Horlock went up for a corner in the ninth minute of stoppage time but blasted it out of the ground. Moments later the Welling players were celebrating victory with their supporters.

None of the teams below or around Welling won meaning that they moved three places up the league table ahead of a busy week.

Welling United: Lovett, Statham, Lankshear, Cornish (Grant 81), Burchell, Perkins, Johnson, Kelly, Redfearn (Chukwu 65), Kennedy (Wells 85), Osew. Subs not used: Taylor-Crossdale, Long.