Welling United shared the points from a 1-1 draw with Hampton & Richmond Borough at the Beveree Stadium on Saturday.
It was a tale of two penalties as an impressive first-half showing which saw Taylor Maloney’s spot-kick put the Wings in front, before an early second-half Hampton & Richmond penalty restored parity for the home side.
An unfamiliar-looking Wings took to the field in south-west London due to a huge amount of traffic disruption resulting in the club’s kit man failing to make it for kick-off, meaning that Warren Feeney’s men were made to sport the home side’s old white and orange strip.
And the new-look certainly suited Welling in the first half as they made a confident start.
Devonte Aransibia’s early free-kick dipped just wide, while Ade Azeez could not capitalise on a weak header at the back to lob over the on-ruching keeper, who got a vital touch to keep it out.
And shortly after, the Wings took the lead via the penalty spot. Azeez was involved again, being hacked down by Ruaridh Donaldson as he looked to pull the trigger and it was left to Maloney to pick his spot from 12 yards.
Indeed, the dead-ball specialist made no mistake, dispatching his penalty firmly into the bottom right-hand corner, out of the reach of home stopper Joe Walsh.
Welling continued to play with confidence, coming close again with a deflected Aransibia effort from range, while the visitors could well have had another penalty after Maloney was looked to have been hauled down, but the appeals were waved away.
At the other end, Hampton did come close before the break with a speculative effort from Jake Gray coming back off the underside of the bar.
After what was a good first half, the Wings made a slow start to the second with the home side grabbing an equaliser with a penalty of their own just three minutes after the restart.
Aaron Barnes was adjudged to have brought down Liam Vincent and Tommy Block was the man to put the spot-kick away.
The Beavers continued to enjoy the better of things in the early exchanges of the second period with Vincent testing Myles Roberts with a free-kick, before Tommy Wood sent a header wide and Jake Grey rolled a shot narrowly past the post.
Welling did grow into things as the half progressed – Stefan Payne’s neat turn and shot outside the box flew just over the bar, while Antony Papadopolous sent a header wide from a free-kick delivery in the 80th minute, but the game would end all-square, leaving the Wings unbeaten in the league in six outings.
Welling United: Roberts, Barnes, Parry, Sendles-White, Ezennolim, Aransibia (Papadopoulos 73), Hyde (Olomowewe 60), Kassarate, Maloney, Payne, Azeez.
Subs (not used): McKenzie-Lyle, Francis, Howard.
Goal: Maloney (pen) 22
Booked: Sendles-White 57 (foul on Babalola), Payne 90+1 (foul on Shokunbi)
Hampton & Richmond Borough: Walsh, Block, Donaldson, Miller-Rodney, Wood, Gray, Sablier (Ilic 86), Davis, Vincent, Babalola (Shokunbi 81), Shroll.
Subs (not used): Dunne, Inman, Whittingham.
Booked: Donaldson 10 (foul on Azeez), Shroll 45+2 (foul on Azeez), Babalola 53 (foul on Ezennolim), Vincent 79 (foul), Shokunbi 90+2 (obstruction)
Goal: Block (penalty) 48
Referee: Samuel Read
Att: 610
