by Matthew Panting

Skipper Jack Parkinson signalled a return to top form with the first goal as Welling beat Weston in Blue Square Bet South on Tuesday night.

Parkinson, back in his favoured position of centre-back, was below-par at the weekend when playing right-back against Bromley.

But he set the perfect example by firing home from 30 yards as the Wings moved level on points with second-placed Dartford to boost their play-off prospects.

Both sides had early chances in an open contest as Weston adopted a keep ball policy, bringing the play forward from defence by trying to pick off their opponents.

Parkinson headed an early Jack Obersteller corner wide before Welling keeper Craig Holloway produced the first of three excellent saves, turning aside Kane Ingram’s snapshot a minute later.

Player/manager Jamie Day restored himself to the starting line-up at the expense of Lee Clarke and he nearly scored on 23 minutes, seeing his follow-up from a free-kick whistle inches past the upright.

The deadlock was broken 10 minutes before half-time when Day touched a free-kick to Parkinson, whose right-foot shot left keeper Lloyd Irish rooted to the spot.

Clarke replaced Scott Kinch at half-time and had an immediate impact, closing down a clearance before challenging Irish, whose punch fell to Loick Pires. The Wings forward showed great composure to find the empty net with a right-foot lob to make it 2-0.

Holloway saved from Sahr Kabba and Dayle Grube before he survived a lucky escape just past the hour. Kabba burst through the home defence and appeared to get past Holloway as the keeper attempted to clear but the referee decided that the keeper cleared the ball against Kabba and gave a goal kick, must to the annoyance of the visitors.

Grube then missed a sitter for the visitors, who were the best passing side to visit Park View Road this season, while Pires brushed aside two challenges at the other end, only for Irish to block his low shot with an outstretched leg.