After another long and fruitless trip on Tuesday night, Welling United entertain Aldershot Town on Saturday looking for the victory that they need to be the start of a good run.
Sixteen games without a Vanarama National League win has left the Wings two points off the foot of the table and seven points from safety.
However, Wings manager Dean Frost is still upbeat and knows that three quick victories would put them right back into the mix. Finding the formula to kick-start the run is his big challenge.
In the first half at Torquay on Tuesday, Welling played some good football. Their passing seemed to have more purpose than in recent weeks but they still struggled to create clear cut chances. They had plenty of shots at Dan Laverscombe’s goal but all from outside the area.
Then, in the second period they suffered their same old problems conceding twice within ten minutes and their chances of getting anything out of the game were gone.
“We are the lowest scoring team in the league so we clearly need to improve the number of chances we create and we need to improve the ratio in scoring them.” said Frost.
“We have to try and get in the head of the positive areas. The half hour against Wrexham before they scored, we were on top. Against a side that was reasonably in form (Torquay), although their at the bottom they’ve started winning in the last few weeks, and they have some experienced players at this level, I think it was an evenly matched first half.”
Last season’s corresponding game ended with Welling victorious 3-1 under the control of caretaker manager, Jamie Turner. Tyrone Marsh converted from Malachi Hudson’s pass on the stroke of half time to put the Wings ahead. Hudson created the second too, with Kieron St. Aimie finishing. Glenn Wilson pulled one back for the Shots but Marsh made the game safe towards the end.
When Welling visited Aldershot earlier in the season they put in a pretty lack-lustre performance and went down 1-0. Richard Brodie scored the only goal in the 49th minute before Barney Williams was sent off for a second yellow card offence with eight minutes remaining.
Brodie is no longer with the Shots however there will be two players in their ranks that the Welling supporters will recognise. Former Wings captain, Jake Gallagher, will be putting in his crunching tackles against his old time whilst Ross Lafayette is at Aldershot on loan from Eastleigh.
They are in a position where the play-offs are probably just out of range but high enough to have no serious risk of relegation. Their defeat at Gateshead on Saturday was their first loss in five after an unsuccessful Christmas period.
Harry Lee missed the match at Torquay having turned his ankle at the end of the Wrexham match and will be assessed prior to the game with Aldershot. Michael Chambers suffered a knee in the kidney area in the early minutes and is also a doubt.
However, Sam Corne and Kevin Lokko both returned from injury to give Frost a welcome boost.