Tuesday night’s North Kent derby sees Welling United visit Bromley in dire need of points.

Games are running out fast for the Wings and with them eight points adrift of safety, they need to start winning matches urgently.

During February they played six matches claiming one point and scoring just one goal. They have the lowest goal tally in the Vanarama National League and the pressure has told at the other end as the defence has kept just three clean sheets all season.

New manager Dean Frost would love to have taken over with a steady team but instead arrived in the last week of the transfer window with little leeway with players who didn’t feature in his plans on contract until the end of the season.

As a result he has had to ask a very young team to try and perform a great escape. Twenty year old Barney Williams is the clubs’ longest serving player and donned the captain’s armband in their defeat against Aldershot Town on Saturday.

Hosts Bromley have had their own problems in recent weeks and had a rocky patch after they parted company with Mark Goldberg. However interim manager Neil Smith, a one time manager at Welling, appears to have steadied the ship. Two successive victories (their first wins in 2016) have eased their worries of being dragged into the relegation dogfight.

Frost will decide on his line up and tactics when he knows who is available. Centre backs Michael Chambers and Ian Gayle were both unable to start on Saturday but may be in contention at Bromley. Midfielders Sam Corne and Harry Lee were also absent and will be assessed before any decision is made.

“I’ve put two up top for the last two games and I think we looked a bit more of a threat on Tuesday in the first half and we looked a reasonable threat in the first half (against Aldershot). I’ll have to address it, whether I add an extra winger and play three up top and maybe someone in behind.

“Just have to take each game as it comes, see who’s available first and take it from there. I have certain ways I want to play but it has to be dependant on the players that are available.”

He is hopeful that the atmosphere will encourage his team. “It’s a good game. Should be a healthy crowd there. Pitch is alright there. Why not try and bounce back against Bromley? Kent derby should be quite tasty.”

 

By Colin Head

There is an interesting local derby in prospect at Hayes Lane on Tuesday night as Bromley entertain Welling United in The National League.

For the first time in the modern history of these two clubs The Ravens go into a game with The Wings as favourites having won their last two league games and gone a long way to securing a second season at non-league football’s top flight, while the visitors are in a real relegation battle.

While The Wings were making their rise from the Athenian League to the Conference via the Southern League, Bromley were battling it out in the Isthmian League with the sides only meeting in the occasional cup tie right up until The Ravens won their place in Conference South Back in 2007. Since then Welling have generally fared better right up until this season.

The home side sit fourteenth in the table with 44points from 33 games and new manager Neil Smith has galvanised his side into a stronger defensive unit, but without sacrificing the attacking threat to do so and with a far more creative midfield thanks to the return of Ali Fuseini to a starting position.‎ They grabbed a late winner at Kidderminster Harriers on Saturday thanks to a speculative free kick from Joe Anderson. 

The Wings on the other had have not seen the same upturn in fortunes since Dean Frost took over the reins at Park View Road, sitting in twenty second place with 26points from their 34 games played. Saturday saw Welling lost 1-0 at home to Aldershot Town their fourth defeat in a row having not won a league game since October.

Frost, a popular former Bromley player, will be hoping to begin a much needed upturn in form with a derby win that could spark a revival in The Wings fortunes.            

There should be a bumper crowd at The Lane for this one with both teams looking for wins to push up the table and send their fans home happy on derby day.

Picture supplied by Ed Boyden.