Welling United fell to a 4-2 defeat at the hands of Hemel Hempstead Town at the Focus Community Arena on Monday evening.
After going into the break a goal down, the Wings regained their footing early in the second half through Anointed Chukwu to get things back on track.
But the league-leaders responded with three more goals to end all visiting hope, while Gene Kennedy’s late strike proved to be a mere consolation.
There was early disruption for the Wings who were forced into an early change after just six minutes when Daniel Martin limped off, replaced by debutant Charlie Pegrum.
And the visitors were, perhaps, distracted with the Tudors taking the lead two minutes later.
The goal was a bolt from the blue with Alfie Cerulli finding the top right-hand corner with an unstoppable effort from distance.
Welling heads did not drop, however, as they looked for an instant reaction. First, Elliot Long was denied by Hemel keeper Craig King from close range after good play down the left, before TJ Bramble saw a shot well blocked and another over the bar.
Shortly after, Bramble was denied again by King after he was slipped in one-on-one – the goalkeeper making an outstanding save with his outstretched foot.
King’s heroics did not stop there and he was at it again in the 13th minute when he stretched to tip Martell Taylor-Crossdale’s shot from the edge of the box onto the bar and over.
After what was a frenetic opening 15 minutes or so, things began to settle down somewhat and it wasn’t until first-half injury-time that either keeper was called into action again with Rhys Lovett making a pair of good saves – first at full stretch to push away Kyran Wiltshire’s angled drive, before he stood up well to deny Ricardo German from close range.
The Wings looked bright after the restart and finally bagged their equaliser in the 54th minute through substitute Chukwu, who had replaced the injured Taylor-Crossdale at the break.
Slipped into the right side of the box by Gene Kennedy, Chukwu smashed home a powerful finish which was too hot too handle for King.
Shortly after, Pegrum saw a low effort saved by King, but it was not long before Hemel took control again, regaining their lead on 65 minutes.
A peach of a cross from the right was met by the stooping head of German to make it 2-1 and the striker would secure his brace five minutes later, tapping into an empty net after being squared from the left.
Those two quick-fire strikes effectively knocked the stuffing out of Welling and the home side could smell blood.
Connor Kurran-Browne clipped the woodwork before the sub finished the job to find the net with seven minutes left on the clock – eventually bundling home after a goalmouth scramble.
Kennedy kept things interesting by striking straight back for the Wings with an unstoppable strike into the roof of the net in the 85th minute to reduce the arrears back to two, but it would be too little, too late as the Wings slumped to a second consecutive defeat.
Next up, Welling welcome Torquay United to Park View Road on Saturday as they look to return too winning ways.
Hemel Hempstead Town: King, Davies (Brown 64), Wishart (Woollard-Innocent 64), Ajayi, Tompkins, Smith, Williams, Howe, German (Kurran-Browne 72), Cerulli, Wiltshire (Ibie 64).
Subs (not used): Seaden.
Booked: Wishart 62 (dissent), Smith 90+5 (foul)
Goals: Cerulli 8, German 65, 70, Kurran-Browne 84
Welling United: Lovett, Burchell, Winfield, Perkins (Munns 77), Wells, Martin (Pegrum 6), A Grant (Donkor 77), Kennedy, Bramble, Long, Taylor-Crossdale (Chukwu 46).
Subs (not used): Mensah.
Goals: Chukwu 54, Kennedy 85
Referee: Chay Hathaway
Att: 833
