Man of the Match Ruben Shakpoke gave the London side the lead on the half hour mark with a tidy finish beyond Kieran Magee only for Joe Clarke to bag the equaliser on 59.
Miles Rutherford, Dabba & Co brought midfielder Lloyd Rowlatt back in for Ciaran Martin who accompanied Lewis Rustell, Ethan Prichard, Preston Woolston and Theo Bennetts on the bench. Skipper Rob Hutchings and Ryan Davidson lined up as usual at left and right back either side of Curtis Da Costa and Ben Pashley in the heart of the defence. Joe Moore started as the holding player behind Clarke, Rowlatt, Isaac Bello and Emmett Dunn with Billy Vigar again up top.
Unbeaten Chi came into the game against the Wings on the back of a super away victory in Aveley against Hashtag United last time out following a 1-1 draw at home to much fancied Folkestone Invicta and a point away at Whitehawk. Whereas Lee Martin’s Welling had yet to get anything from clashes with Cheshunt and Lewes.
Bello had a cross cleared at the Archery End in the opening minute and the hosts won the first corner of the game 60 seconds later and then another on the Theatre side.
The away team’s boisterous vocal supporters blasted out “We are Wings” from the off as Shakpoke went on a lovely jinking run only to fire straight at Magee four minutes in.
Next, Hutchings played an inviting long ball towards Vigar and Dunn cleared as the visitors tested City with a John Ufuah delivery.
The Welling No10 then tried to link up with Aaron Williams-Bushell and Magee collected a forward pass without any trouble.
A neat Chi move resulted in the ball coming to Rowlatt but behind him before James Dyer couldn’t control a final pass from Cundle on 14.
Then Hutchings broke up a Wings’ break ahead of fouling Ufuah for a Dyer free-kick which Pashley headed clear.
And Chi’s first genuine opportunity fell to Clarke following Vigar’s delivery but it was claimed by Freddie Norman easily enough on 20 minutes.
A decent pass towards Vigar wasn’t fully controlled on his chest shortly after this and Cundle lifted one way over Magee’s crossbar.
Two United offsides were then flagged and Da Costa got under a header from a Chichester corner at the mid-point before the Sussex side won a corner which Hutchings again delivered and Davidson couldn’t convert unlike last Saturday.
Next, an onside Shakpoke latched on to a through ball and tucked it beyond Magee for the first goal and at the other end Bello didn’t really connect when set up by Vigar and the chance went begging.
Magee’s clearance went out for a Wings’ throw off Clarke and Shakpoke got flagged offside trying to play in between Da Costa and Pashley.
And then Dyer’s delivery was cleared of sorts and Shakpoke hit the woodwork following a delicious Willliams-Bushell cross.
Hutchings dragged one wide four minutes before the break and Da Costa picked up the game’s first booking for a foul on Ufuah.
The set-piece came to nothing however, and Bello’s pass to Vigar was comfortably intercepted by No1 Norman before referee Calum McFarlane blew for half-time after a minute of time added on.
Neither side made any changes at the break and Bello had a shot blocked after 60 seconds of the second half.
Davidson was yellow-carded for the third game in a row on 47 before a lovely turn from Rowlatt led to a Bello cross which Vigar couldn’t get on the end of.
Hutchings was then caught by Logan Dobbs who got a talking to by Mr McFarlane but no booking and Davidson found Hutchings who shot wide of the far stick.
Next, Magee gathered Ufuah’s shot/cross 10 minutes in and Davidson struck one too deep.
Rowlatt then got brought down by Welling captain Jack Paxman who was yellow-carded and Rowlatt shot high and wide on 58.
A minute later after slick stuff from the hosts Clarke rifled the ball in to make it 1-1.
Vigar won Chichester a corner in the 64th minute which Rowlatt took and Hutchings had a go when the ball came out to him.
Shakpoke and Bello both picked up knocks with Prichard coming on for the latter before Cundle pulled a stop out of Magee.
Prichard then won Chi a corner as the home team pressed which Huthcings delivered and the Londoners headed away for another one on the College Lane side.
With 15 minutes of normal time to go Pashley overlapped once more and his cross was headed out for a Prichard corner which led to a dangerous ball into the box that got hacked away.
At the other end Magee held Ufuah’s shot and Rowlatt almost beat Norman to the ball.
Prichard might of won it for Chichester and should have profited from a Norman mistake but couldn’t find the back of the net.
The Chi sub then won a corner after neat play with Rowlatt although the Welling custodian punched the resulting dead-ball safely away.
And with five to go Dunn nearly lobbed Norman who incredibly got a glove to it.
Dyer was booked late on and Rustell replaced Vigar before Clarke was brought down in the penalty area – although incredulously Mr McFarlane waved spot-kick appeals away.
And the visitors broke swiftly for Ufuah to find Cundle who netted the winner.
Chi rolled the dice and introduced Martin and Woolston for Rowlatt and Moore but the hosts couldn’t find an equaliser in seven minutes of time added on.
City drop down a place to 11th in the league table as a consequence and Welling move out of the bottom four.
Next up for the Lillywhites is an away game on Bank Holiday Monday against Carshalton Athletic on the 25th of August (Kick Off 3:00pm).
Chichester – Magee, Davidson, Hutchings, Moore, Da Costa, Pashley, Clarke, Dunn, Vigar, Rowlatt, Bello (Bennetts, Martin, Woolston, Prichard, Rustell).
Photos to follow.
