A clinical Welling United side defeated St Albans City at Clarence Park after a contrasting performance from the Saints that once again saw the lack of a cutting edge cost Ian Allinson and his side.

They did create chances, however, and in a bright opening City hit the woodwork when Layne Eadie struck the post after good build-up play from David Noble and Shaun Lucien.

The home side continued to create chances and were only denied by an inspired Dillon Barnes in the Welling goal, who saved Solomon Sambou’s long range attempt before denying Charlie Walker when the forward only had the keeper to beat.

As half-time approached City lost the ball in the Welling half, allowing Welling to break with speed.

And they did so to great effect as the ball eventually fell to Joe Healy who perfectly curled an effort past Snedker and into the far corner.

A quiet 23-minute period after the interval was shattered when Welling’s former Stevenage man, Jack Jebb, received the ball on the edge of the box, manoeuvred through a make shift and static defence, and placed the ball under the on-rushing Dean Snedker.

St Albans looked to respond immediately and were again denied by an in-form Barnes, who got down low brilliantly to deny Nathan Pinney’s effort from five yards out.

The goalkeeper then tipped a venomous and curling Rhys Murrell-Williamson strike inches wide.

Snedker was almost embarrassed when his kick out fell to Jeffrey Monakana mid-way into the City half.

However, the City goalkeeper immediately made amends as he tipped the wide-man’s audacious effort over the bar.

The home side’s continued pressure finally told in added time when Sam Merson ran across the face of the box and put in a cross towards the back post that Pinney headed into the top corner.

By that point, however, it was too little, too late for St Albans and the Wings held on for the points as they moved up to third in the table, while the Saints dropped to seventh.