Welling United slipped to a narrow defeat to Worthing at the Sussex Transport Community Stadium on Tuesday evening.

Despite a valiant performance from the Wings in the teeming rain of West Sussex, Mo Faal’s second-half strike proved to be the difference, leaving Welling to head home from the coast empty handed.

The visitors nearly punished the hosts very early on after some sloppy play out from the back.

A wayward Worthing pass made its way straight to Gene Kennedy who got into a good position in the box, only for his effort to be well blocked.

On the 15-minute mark, Welling came closer still, again from a mis-placed pass from the Rebels defence.

Kennedy was again the one to pounce, laying off Martell Taylor-Crossdale who hit the woodwork with a decent effort from the edge of the box.

For Worthing’s part, they came close with a Danny Cashman effort from 20 yards which skimmed just past the left-hand post, but the Wings were nullifying their opponents, largely controlling the first half of action.

Welling started the second period brightly and carved out a good opportunity with some god play down the right-hand side immediately after the restart.

With the ball being laid on a plate for Daniel Martin with a good, low cross, the wide man met it first time with his weaker right foot, firing over from 12 yards.

On 55 minutes, Rhys Lovett was called into action, doing brilliantly to race out to snuff out the danger of Mo Faal, who had sprung the offside trap to race clear, only to be denied by the Wings stopper.

Moments later, the hosts came close again with a speculative free-kick from distance – Jack Spong letting fly from 30 yards, with his shot taking a nick off the wall. And hitting the outside of the post.

The Wings were continuing to more than hold their own and had certainly enjoyed the better chances, coming close again on 68 minutes when a quick counter-attack saw Kwaku Donkor slipped into the right-hand side of the box, but with the youngster taking on his shot early, he could only fire wide at the near post.

Moments later, the home side would make the Wings rue that missed chance by going straight down the other end and opening the scoring themselves.

A low cross from the left was met by the waiting Faal, who placed in his finish from close range.

Worthing were playing a risky game throughout with their playing out from the back and they nearly came unstuck again when a weak backpass was very nearly latched on to by Cameron Andrews, but the keeper just about got there first for a real let off.

A late flurry from the visitors saw Kennedy’s free-kick dip narrowly wide of the post, while Martin was denied at the far post by a brilliant Joel Colbran block at the death, but despite their efforts, Rod Stringer’s men just could not find their coveted equaliser with the Rebels eventually claiming all three points come the full-time whistle.

Welling will go again on Saturday when they return home to Park View Road with Eastbourne Borough the visitors to DA16.

Worthing: Haigh, Colbran, Cook, Wadham, Spong (Willard 71), Faal (Smith 71), Cashman, Wheeler, Rea, Young, Black.

Subs (not used): Wills, Babalola, Bates.

Booked: Haigh 90+2 (time wasting), Black 90+3 (foul on Long)

Goal: Faal 69

Welling United: Lovett, Donkor, Winfield, Lankshear, Johnson (Chukwu 84), Cornish, Kennedy,  Pegrum (Statham 56), Bergkamp (Andrews 60), Martin, Taylor-Crossdale (Long 86).

Subs (not used): Burchell.

Referee: Isaac Searle

Att: 1,156