For the first time since the 2018-19 season, Welling United won their opening Vanarama National League South fixture when they defeated Aveley.

In January the two teams met in Welling and the Millers had the match sewn up by half time. They then went on to qualify for the play-offs. Seven months later only two Welling players and three Aveley players remained in the starting line up.

There were five Welling players who ended last season on the Wings books although, technically, one was making a second debut. Gene Kennedy was on loan from Colchester United last term and returned to the club at the end of the campaign. However, he was subsequently released and re-signed for the Wings.

After both teams tried to work each other out, Winfield went up for a corner but headed straight into the arms of Aveley goalkeeper Carey Bloedorn. Kennedy then had a shot blocked and while he was appealing for handball and a penalty, TJ Bramble struck the follow up wide.

Harry Gibbs then had a header saved brilliantly by Rhys Lovett before the Welling custodian pushed an Eze Ikechi free kick over. Lovett made another save from Gibbs before Welling pressed for the opener with half time looming. Bramble found Elliot Long who shot into the side netting, then Kennedy made space for himself but missed the target narrowly. Finally, Winfield headed down a Kennedy free kick but nobody was able to get on the end of it and Bloedorn got down to smother.

Kennedy fizzed a drive just wide immediately after the break before a cross by Martell Taylor-Crossdale hit Reece Grant inside the six yard box but it rebounded just past the post.

Taylor-Crossdale put Welling ahead just after the hour mark with a screamer. He collected a long pass down the left wing, turned, eased in, looked up and curled his measured twenty yard effort into the top corner.

Lovett was again called into action when making an excellent block with his legs to keep out a shot by Joshua Anifowose.

That was the end of Aveley as an attacking force and had Welling shown a bit more composure on the counter-attack, they might have added to their tally.

As it turned out, it didn’t matter and they saw out time comfortably to claim their first three points of the campaign.

Welling United: Lovell, Johnson (Mensah 87), Borg (Martin 59), Burchell, Winfield, Wells, Bramble (R. Grant 46), A. Grant (Cornish 71), Taylor-Crossdale (Walker 83), Kennedy, Long.