Welling United continued their improved form in 2022 with a hard earned point at in-form Chelmsford City.

Dipo Akinyemi had the first shot of the match but slotted behind with the angle against him. After that, Chelmsford then had a spell on top and should probably have taken an early lead. Hady Ghandour blasted over when Tom Blackwell knocked it down for him from Chez Isaac's clever ball in. Isaac was again in the action when finding Ghandour but his left footed curler was again too high.

Cameron James shot wide for Chelmsford before Welling had an opportunity when Yannis Drais picked out Danny Parish from a corner, but his header flew wide of the near post.

Jack Sims chased a ball out wide but didn't get there there and it came to Louis Dunne. However Arthur Penney shepherded him away and by the time it fell into the path of James, Sims was back and made an easy save.

Drais had a shot saved for the Wings then, at the other end, James again tried his luck against his former club, but his deflected shot was saved easily by Sims.

Immediately after the interval Welling came close when Akinyemi headed over the out-rushing Jacob Marsden but Ade Oluwu read the situation well and raced back to hook it off the line. Marsden then saved from Parish before Sims did likewise from Ghandour at the other end.

A half cleared Chelmsford corner fell into the path of James but his shot was cleared off the line by Penney before Marsden had to remain alert when Akinyemi's shot hit a divot and could have caught him out.

Mason Saunders-Henry was brought on and had a half chance immediately but was unable to connect cleanly with his shot as he lost his balance.

As the game entered its final fifteen minutes Welling came desperately close to breaking the stale-mate. Maxwell Statham let fly with a pile-driver that shook the frame of the goal when it flew out off the bar.

Dave Winfield headed over when a half cleared corner was resurrected before Chelmsford were reduced to ten men in the final minute when Christian Frimpong was dismissed for a second yellow card.

Although Bradley Stevenson had an injury time shot deflected over, there was not sufficient time for Welling to profit from their numerical advantage and they had to settle for a well merited point.

Welling United: Sims, Barnes (Stevenson 73), Ezennolim, Statham, Davis, Penney, Shokunbi, Durojaiye, Akinyemi, Parish (Saunders-Henry 63), Drais. Subs not used:, Campbell, Perkins, Richards.