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Welling United 1 Ebbsfleet United 1

Liam Daish
Liam Daish

An enthralling Blue Square Bet South derby ended all-square at Park View Road on Tuesday.

Both sides had chances to win a surprisingly open game that could have gone either way at the death.

It was Liam Daish's (pictured) first return to Park View Road since a successful caretaker spell in 2004/05 which prompted then Fleet chairman Brian Kilcullen to offer him the manager's job at Stonebridge Road.

Welling's Luis Cumbers wasted an early opening before the Fleet took a fortunate seven-minute lead as Wings keeper John Whitehouse appeared to slip and Ashley Carew's cross went straight in.

Lee Clarke then appeared fortunate not to see red for an elbow on Ebbsfleet's Tom Phipp with referee C Brook taking no action against the Welling midfielder.

The Fleet nearly doubled their lead on 15 minutes when Derek Duncan's left-wing cross was hooked back by Jacob Erskine and Calum Willock's overhead kick dropped inches wide.

Jamie Day's teasing free-kick should have served as a warning to the Fleet defence but they stood like statues just after the half-hour when Ben Martin headed in Day's corner to mark his home debut with a goal.

Welling's Jack Obersteller provided plenty of attacking flair down the left-wing and he nearly combined with debutant Ryan Dolby early in the second half.

The Fleet then regained the upper hand with Paul Lorraine denied a goal on his return to Park View Road by Anthony Achempong's clearance and then Whitehouse kept out Derek Duncan's deflected 25-yard drive.

Welling also had chances to win late on but Pires twice headed off target and Clarke was denied a tap-in by Duncan's recovery clearance in the third minute of stoppage time.

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