If ever a game failed to live up to its billing, then this was it.

Welwyn Garden City arrived at AFC Dunstable top of the six-game Southern League Division One Central form table with five wins and a draw, their hosts second with four wins and a draw in their last half-dozen games.

What followed though was a scruffy encounter that was poor in every aspect and possibly the worst 90 minutes WGC have been involved in so far this season.

In the end, it was decided on two penalties, one to each side in a three minute spell towards the end of the first-half.

The first went to the hosts when WGC newcomer Charlie McDonald fouled Dunstable’s new signing Louis Walsh when they both rose for a header in the area.

Arnold Matshazi scored for 1-0 on 34 minutes and it proved to be the only goal for Dunstable in a 1-0 win, even though a handball against Patrick Staszewiki did give Welwyn a penalty of their own.

Dernell Wynter, scorer of a midweek hat-trick, was entrusted with the job but his effort was underhit and far too close to teenage home keeper Seb Stacey who produced an easy save.

The points subsequently hinged on those two incidents. Either side of them, there were few moments of note or quality.

Home keeper Stacey only had to make two saves in the entire contest.

He made a good block early on, racing out to shut down a Wynter effort after McDonald had put him through.

In the second-half, a 20 yarder straight at him from full-back Alex Harris was his only exertion.

In between there was a lot of possession from WGC but no real attempts.

The opening 15 minutes of the game was played in torrential rain that didn’t help either, but once the weather settled, WGC created a decent chance when Wynter and skipper Brad Wadkins split the Dunstable defence with a ball across the goal.

Unfortunately it fell to central defender Josh Steele, up for a set piece, who miscued it from close in.

AFC had two chances in quick succession, firstly when Walsh misplaced a header in front of goal and then when Rio Deall pulled his effort wide of the far post.

In between the two penalties, WGC had to replace Lynton Goss, suffering with a tight hamstring, with Bailey Stevenson and it badly blunted their cutting edge, Goss having scored five times in recent games.

The Citizens’ best openings of the second-half both fell to substitute Stevenson. The first on 65 minutes saw him latch onto a James Kaloczi pass and hit an instant effort. It was well struck, but off target,

The second was a clearer opening, but after he raced through, he pulled his effort badly wide.

The result means Welwyn drop down to ninth, seven points behind Waltham Abbey in the final play-off position.

And Welwyn's disappointment at both the result and performance can't afford to linger though as their busy end to the season continues on Tuesday, at home to Leighton Town.

WGC: Crowley, Harris (Steel 72), Kaloczi, Steele, Bryant, McDonald, Soulya-Osekanongo, Wadkins, Wynter (Yeboah 72), Goss (Stevenson 35), Babaie.

Subs (not used): Kirwan, Mulley.