The Missioners run of four games unbeaten was brought to a stop this afternoon at Church Road courtesy of a single strike from the prolific Danny Kedwell, a strike that should not have been permitted by the defence and i'm sure keeper Kevin Davies will be kicking himself for letting it go under his body.

The game started slowly with the only real action in the first ten minutes seeing the visitors Che Stadhart and our own Josh Scott fail to hit the target with efforts from distance. A lengthy stoppage occurred not much later as Davies dived to gather the ball in front of an oncoming striker only to get a whack in the face that needed stitching after the game although it took the referee several minutes to acknowledge the injury and allow treatment that lasted several minutes.

Both sides were by now starting to find some movement upfield, Kedwell received the ball inside the Hayes area before setting up Matt Bodkin who couldn't keep his drive down and at the other end Scott was looking lively, giving keeper Jamie Turner a little work with a shot from the edge of the box.

The visitors then began to edge the possession and create much more danger for our defensive quartet, Liam Feeney blocked a shot but could only half clear to Jamie Day whose shot was diverted away for a corner by skipper Orlando Jeffrey. The corner was again only partially cleared to Bodkin who chipped a smart cross to Ben Lewis but the centre half could only head over Davies' goal.

Then just after the half hour mark the Wings struck, the ever dangerous Kedwell was given time to move in from the right side and it looked like the chance had gone as his shot did not appear to be well struck only for it to somehow go under Davies dive and nestle in the corner of the Hayes net.

Within minutes the Wings could and indeed should have had a second, Day struck a corner from the right side that was perfect for a totally unmarked John Guest but his header cleared the bar without troubling Davies. With the half time whistle approaching, or so we thought, Gilbert Nuako shepherded the ball out of touch and in doing so was hit in the eye by the Welling attacker, both referee and assistant choosing to take no action either deeming that a) it didn't happen!! or b) it was accidental or even c) I didn't seeeee it, ala Arsene!!

Stoppage time was like playing a quarter of the second half in advance as referee Rowley added no fewer than eleven minutes to the initial 45, during this time Feeney saw a free-kick comfortably handled by Turner and at the other end we were grateful for a last ditch Peter Collins block from a Kedwell shot.

As with the first, the second period was a pretty even affair but sadly the Missioners could find a way to breech the visitors defence, although we did create a few chances. Just four minutes had been played after the restart when Scott raced down the left flank before firing the ball through the six yard area without a touch, Shaun McAuley picked up the loose ball on the opposite flank, his cross being met by Jon Dyer with an acrobatic scissor kick only for Turner to dive and save at the foot of the post. Within a minute Dyer was the recipient of our best chance of the game, Feeney played an excellent ball to the feet of the striker, but sadly with just Turner to beat he failed to net as the visiting keeper made a good point blank save.

Soon after Bodkin raced away from Adam Logie on the left before firing an angled drive against the side netting when Stadhart was probably better placed for a centre and on the hour mark a long Logie throw was flicked right across the face of his own goal by Chris Moore before being cleared for another throw, this time Scott was the receiver but his drive was held by Turner.

Play continued to swing from end to end, Kedwell drove forwards before finding Ellis Green who was only denied a strike on goal by another superb Collins interception. Dyer had another chance from a Logie cross but could only head into Turners arms before Bodkin outstripped Logie once more before sliding the ball into the area where Stadhart arrived but could only poke his effort wide of the upright from four yards.

As the half reached its midway point our defensive positioning twice saved us, firstly Feeney was on hand to play a Guest header of the line and within minutes it was OJ clearing his lines after Kedwell and Stadhart had combined with the latter firing past Davies only for the skipper to save us.

The final ten minutes had arrived and we almost went further adrift, Stadhart received a throw, moved to the byeline before cutting the ball back to man of the match Bodkin who fired goalwards only for Davies to palm away his effort at full stretch. The last piece of creativity from the home side came three minutes from time and was a combination of substitutes, Damon Ming reaching the byeline before crossing to Miles Jones who headed just too high to trouble Turner.

Report by Kevin Watts. Photos by Ray Peploe.