Having won four points in two games, Welling United will look to extend their run on Friday evening when they visit Aveley in the Vanarama National League South.

However, they know that they are up against a team that are equally keen to win the three points. The team from Essex are top of the bottom four and know that a victory will take them to within three points of the Wings, who are in eighteenth place having played a game more.

On Monday evening, they played in an extraordinary game at home to fellow relegation zone club, St. Albans City. Ken Charles opened the scoring for the Saints in the first minute however, David Kawa levelled six minutes later. Charles restored the Saints lead only for the hosts to equalise again through a Razzaq Coleman penalty. Three minutes into stoppage time Charles completed his hat-trick

Four minutes after the break, parity was again restored when Josh Anifowose scored and Aveley didn’t look back after Kawa put them ahead. Coleman scored two more to complete his hat-trick and they finished winning six-three.

One evening later, Welling entertained Tonbridge Angels looking to build on their morale boosting victory at Slough Town three days earlier. They burst into a two goal lead inside the first twenty minutes through goals by Alex Lankshear and Josh Redfearn, and looked well in command until half time.

After the break they were forced to defend and conceded on the hour mark when Liam Vincent scored directly from a free kick. As much as Tonbridge probed, Welling looked strong at the back until Garrett Kelly conceded a penalty and was dismissed with ten minutes remaining. Vincent converted and the honours were shared.

At home, Aveley have won three, drawn one and lost five while the Wings have won two, drawn one and lost six on the road. This will be their second meeting of the season as they played each other at Park View Road on the opening day of the season. The game was settled by a single goal scored by Martell Taylor-Crossdale.

Last season, Welling visited Aveley and played an eventful match. The hosts were fourth in the league at the time but it was the Wings who went ahead from a Tristan Abrahams penalty. The scores were levelled in a moment of high controversy. Charles-Cook charged out and brought down Manny Ogunrinde and a penalty was awarded followed by the Welling goalkeeper’s dismissal, Anthony Grant took the goalkeeper’s shirt but went the wrong way as Siju Odelusi converted.

Antony Papadopoulos then came on as a substitute and took over in goal but Ogunrinde scored almost immediately and the Wings went in at the break two-one down with ten men including an outfield player in goal. Despite the disadvantage, Welling played well in the second period and levelled when Papadopoulos sent Kain Adom clear. He went past goalkeeper Jonathan North and tucked it into the empty net to claim a well deserved point for the Wings.

As it will be Welling’s third game in six days, Rod Stringer has suggested that he will bring in some fresh legs that could include Zain Walker who has been absent with an injury.

Images courtesy of Dave Budden