Defensive frailties came to the fore for Welling United as they crashed at home to Hungerford Town.

It took just nine minutes for the visitors to go ahead. James Rusby hurled in a long throw that caused panic in the Welling penalty area and Simo Mbonkwi headed home from close range.

Clever work by Huseyin Biler gave him space to get in a cross and Dipo Akinyemi met it with a powerful header, but straight at Luke Cairney. Then a long range shot by Kristian Campbell flew wide.

Twenty minutes after they had gone ahead, the Crusaders doubled their lead with an almost identical goal to their first. Rusby again hurled it in and it appeared to take a slight touch before reaching Mbonkwi and he crashed it home unchallenged.

Che Krabbendam played a perfect ball through to Chi EzzenolimEzennolim

Ben Allen dispossessed a Hungerford defender and bore down on goal but Cairney blocked it out for a throw in. It was crossed in quickly and half cleared to Akinyemi and his fierce drive from twenty-five yards gave Cairney no chance.

Had Welling held on to the one goal deficit at the break, they might have felt that they could get back into the game in the second half. However, Brad Pearce found himself on the wrong side of Sol Wanjau-Smith and brought him down. Whilst there were few arguments about the award of a penalty, the red card shown to Pearce was very harsh.

That did not bother Seager and he stepped up and showed Welling no mercy with a clinical finish from the spot.

After the interval, Bruno Tavares’ shot almost caught out Mahoney but he managed to bundle it around the post but it wasn’t long before Hungerford made sure that the points would be heading back to Berkshire with a fourth. Tyler slung in a cross and Mbonkwi met it with a crashing close range volley to complete his hat-trick.

Allen spun and shot but it was deflected over then Bradley Stevenson fired wide from long range.

At the other end Tavares had a shot saved easily at the near post before Mbonkwi was twice off target as he looked to add to his personal tally.

Akinyemi put in a cross that substitute Kaylen Hinds was unable to turn it but it would have been too little too late.

Steve Lovell’s side will now have to lick their wounds before their two games over the August Bank Holiday weekend.

Welling United: Mahoney, Barnes, Campbell, Durojaiye, Pearce, Ezennolim (Ilic 68), Biler, Stevenson, Akinyemi, Allen (Hinds 65), Krabbendam (Della-Verde 81). Subs not used: Shokunbi, Sinclair.