Taylor Maloney’s penalty proved to be the difference as Welling United earned a 1-0 victory at Chelmsford City on Saturday. 

The Wings put in a textbook away performance at the Melbourne Stadium to bring three well-deserved three points home to Kent, managing the game superbly after Maloney had firmly put away his spot-kick early in the second half.  

The home side very nearly made a spectacular start to proceedings, hitting the crossbar inside the opening 90 seconds of the game when Harry Lodovica sent a curling effort looping over Myles Roberts and crashing back off the woodwork. 

That seemed to spark Welling into life as they began to gain the edge as the first half progressed. Debutant Kodi Lyons-Foster saw a header well blocked from Maloney’s corner delivery, while Dylan Gavin has a shot smothered on the edge of the box. 

A low Maloney effort skimmed just wide of the post with 12 minutes on the clock, but clearcut chances were few and far between as the sides felt each other out in the first 45 and the first half started similarly to how it started with Lodovica curling another effort towards goal from the edge of the penalty area – this one dipping just over. 

The Wings made an ideal start to the second half, taking the lead from the penalty spot after Gavin received a push from Clarets keeper Eddie Beach in the box. 

Maloney stepped up and did what he does best as a dead-ball specialist, sticking away his penalty with aplomb – his effort firmly struck into the top right-hand corner. 

The rest of the half was largely played as a midfield battle with the visitors repeatedly frustrating their hosts, limiting them to the odd shot from distance, with Roberts remaining untested.

Indeed, Welling’s game-management ensured that they would sail to the finish line, setting themselves up perfectly for next weekend’s derby clash with Dartford.  

Chelmsford City: Beach, James, Barnum-Bobb, Winfield, Yearn, Lodovica (Hockey 86), Jackson, Da Costa (Blackwell 60), Ochieng, Grant (Jones 74), Terry. 

Subs (not used): Marsden, Wilkes. 

Booked: Winfield 26 (dissent)

Welling United: Roberts, Howard, Lyons-Foster, Powell, Dunne, Maloney, Elito (Lisbie 80), Payne (Parry 90+4), Gavin (Kassarate 67), Azeez. 

Subs (not used): McKenzie-Lyle, , Barnes. 

Booked: Gavin 15 (foul on Barnum-Bobb), Payne 66 (foul)

Goal: Maloney (pen) 49

Referee: Michael Robertson-Tant

Att:TBC