Welling United suffered a 4-1 defeat at the hands of league leaders Eastbourne Borough at the ReachTV Stadium on Tuesday evening.
Despite racing into a lead inside the first minute thanks to Anointed Chukwu and an impressive first-half showing, the Wings could not replicate it in a second 45 in which the home side plundered four.
Welling made a lightning-quick start, racing into the lead with just 42 seconds on the clock.
Zain Walker picked up possession on the left and ran half the length of the pitch at pace to get into the box and to the byline before cutting it back for Chukwu who finished for his sixth goal of the season.
The visitors came close to a second five minutes later with Walker involved again, tearing down the middle of the park this time to combine with Chukwu who denied by keeper Finn Holter, very nearly scooping his save into his own net.
The Wings were giving the hosts all sorts of problems with their rapid attacking play in the early exchanges and they came close to netting an own goal once again on 13 minutes when Kwaku Donkor’s dangerous ball in bounced off the back of Eastbourne defender Freddie Carter and bounced narrowly wide.
The visitors enjoyed another opportunity when TJ Bramble set his side on the counter to play in Chukwu one-on-one, but he could only force Holter into a smart save.
It took the table-topping Sports half an hour or so to find any rhythm and the Wings were made to a weather a bit of a storm towards the end of the half with plenty of balls into the box.
A corner was flicked on by a red shirt before dipping agonisingly wide, while another set-piece caused problems with a goalbound header being deflected off the line and over the bar by the last line of the Wings’ defence.
The home side levelled five minutes into the second half in fortunate circumstances, with Welling, quite literally, handing them their equaliser.
A corner swung in from the right was not dealt with by goalkeeper Jordan Gillmore, who diverted the ball into his own goal.
Just three more minutes would elapse before the Sports had completed their turnaround, going ahead through Michael Klass who controlled well in the box, turning and finding the bottom left-hand corner for 2-1.
In truth, the hosts had fully turned the game on its head, taking control of proceedings in the second half – indeed, they added a third with 16 minutes remaining thanks to former Wing George Alexander, who finished smartly after a free-kick routine was delivered to his feet in the box.
And Alexander would secure his brace eight minutes later, slamming home a powerful, angled finish.
Welling will go again when they play host to Truro City at Park View Road on Saturday.
Eastbourne Borough: Holter, Diarra, Alexander (Ligendza 83), Klass, Sesay, Carter (Davis 83), Bamba (Kensdale 79), Odusanya, Johnson, Clarke (Ballard-McBride 79), Bird.
Subs (not used): Pavey.
Booked: Bird 48 (foul on Donkor)
Goal: Gillmore (og) 50, Klass 53, Alexander 74, 82
Welling United: Gillmore, Donkor (Johnson 77), Burchell, Winfield, Lankshear, Martin, Kelly (Taylor-Crossdale 64), Bramble, Kennedy, Z Walker (Long 76), Chukwu.
Subs (not used): Statham, Cornish.
Booked: Winfield 14 (foul), Kelly 56 (foul)
Goal: Chukwu 1
Referee: Harrison Blair
Att: 1,172
