In difficult conditions, it didn’t take long for City to make the breakthrough.

A lofted ball into the box was met by the chest of Elliot Benyon who effortlessly planted the ball onto the right boot of Joe Iaciofano. He unleashed a powerful strike and the ball flew into the bottom left corner of the Wings net, to give City the lead. OCFC 1 – 0 Welling.

Following the goal, the Hoops were patient in their play. Crisp passing was seen all across the pitch getting the fans confident in a strong performance. Whereas, Ben Dudzinksi was tested but not troubled by a long-range effort from Che Krabbendam in the 18th minute of the match.

Up the other end of the pitch, Nana Owusu and Benyon linked up with a neat passing move, resulting in Owusu cutting inside from the left to fire across goal. However, the powerful shot fell wide of Tom Smith’s left-hand post.

Owusu was giving the Welling left side no time to breathe with his darting runs, easily passing his opposite number Kristian Campbell. The wide-man’s through ball was caught by Iaciofano and he fired in a cross onto Benyon’s head but the striker could only nod against the ground and onto the bar.

City’s defence matched the attack’s energy. A loose ball was picked up by Krabbendam who slid a ball through to Daniel Carr but his shot was blocked by the leg of Zico Asare for a Welling corner.

Welling’s standing on the game strengthened through a flurry of chances, the most notable within City’s 18-yard box whereby claims for a penalty were waved away in favour of a free-kick to the Wings.

Half-time: OCFC 1 – 0 Welling

The second-half started as lively as the first. A perfectly weighted lay off by Benyon found Reece Fleet who curled a right footed shot towards the far-right corner of Welling’s goal but was denied by the stretching right arm of Smith to tip the ball wide.

What was already proving to be a difficult game for the visitors became even harder when goalkeeper Tom Smith was forced off the pitch with a bad injury. Striker Kristian Campbell had to take the number one jersey and slip on some gloves as a make-shift Goalkeeper.

City peppered the goal over the next 20 minutes. A cross from George Harmon to Owusu forced a save from Campbell and corners from Josh Ashby were met by the heads of Benyon and Harry Kyprianou but both missed the target.

However, a mistake by Welling’s keeper in the 70th minute presented City with a corner. Josh Ashby’s corner was inch-perfect for Benyon who slotted the ball into the right-hand corner of the net. OCFC 2 – 0 Welling.

Soon later, a powerful goal bound strike from Ademola Shoknubi was equally matched by Dudzinski for his first real action of the second half.

City put the game to bed in the 85th minute when Harvey Bradbury cleverly guided a shot into the Welling net. An alluring cross from the left foot of Harmon was perfect for the number 14 who steered the ball into the net. OCFC 3 – 0 Welling. 

Nine minutes of added time wasn’t enough for Welling to find a consolation and David Oldfield’s men saw the game out professionally to secure a big three points.