Welling United’s four-day training camp in the South West ended with a match against Wessex League Brockenhurst, in sweltering conditions.

Wings’ manager, Warren Feeney, has put the team through their paces and has been pleased with how the week has gone.

After the game on the edge of the New Forest, he said “Everyone’s known about the weather and how hot it’s going to be, but the players have been top class this week. We’ve trained them really, really hard. I thank the board and the club for giving us the opportunity to bring them down here. The boys have been on the beach training in the morning, and I thank (AFC) Bournemouth for letting us have the use of their training facilities in the afternoons and it was great to have a game against Brockenhurst to finish it off.”

“Obviously, I’m pleased with the result. You always want more but there were good things there, and that’s what pre-season is for, to sharpen up things. There’s bits and pieces to improve on but, as I said, full credit to the boys as they’ve trained very, very hard and it’s the attitude and mentality that we want to change.”

“If you look at last year, and no disrespect, I wasn’t here, but there were a lot of defeats in pre-season. I’m not going to say that that’s going to mean anything, but you’ve got to win games and get that right mentality and full credit to the players, it’s pre-season but winning matches, no matter what level, is all about breeding confidence.”

Feeney continued: “Winning is a mentality and it’s a habit as well. We want to change the mind-set and mentality at this football club and make them winners.”

“I’m giving the players a programme that I know myself that I have done. They’re not going to do anything that I haven’t done and that’s the way I work. I’m a big believer that if you’re fit, you’re mentally fit.”

Another reason for the training camp is team bonding, and the return home was not scheduled until the following morning to enable them to have a spell relaxing together. However, Feeney was keen to add that there was still an expectance for professional conduct.

“We’re down here to represent the football club.” he said “The week’s done but it will be sensible. It’s not like twenty years ago. You can’t afford to do that anymore.”

“The boys will have their down-time, but they have been told that they’re here for a reason, to get fit and they don’t want to go and throw that all away. They can relax tonight but it will be sensible, and they’ll be ready to go again next week.”

In the match at Brockenhurst, Welling took fifteen minutes to fashion their first clear cut opening when Stefan Payne headed a Rob Strachan cross over, but one minute later they went ahead. Ade Azeez pulled it back and Taylor Maloney finished with a shot from the edge of the area.

Taofiq Olomowewe had a header cleared off the line before the Wings went two up when a midfielder, whose paperwork is in the process of being completed, ‘passed’ a free kick round the wall and into the bottom corner.

Azeez added his name to the scoresheet with a quality finish from the edge of the box, then Payne made it four on the half-hour mark with a crisp strike from the right hand side.

Ashley Nzala scored the fifth, showing his pace and strength, after being sent clear by Maloney.

Just before the hour mark, a Brockenhurst trialist reduced the arrears before Feeney made six team changes. Sam Jackson was called upon to make a good low save but Welling came closest to adding in the closing stages.

Lucas Atkins headed over before hitting a low shot that hit the inside of the post, rolled across the face of the goal, and went wide of the far post.

On Wednesday evening, the Wings travel to Chatham Town as preparations continue ahead of their first league game of the season on 6th August.

Pictures supplied by Dave Budden.