Pre-season football puts teams from different levels up against each other, often with the clubs having a variety of objectives.

Whilst both Chatham Town and Welling United wanted to get their players match fit, for the Chats it was their first game since the departure of manager Scott Lindsey so their mostly settled squad would have had slightly different instructions. Meanwhile, Steve Lovell is still busy trying to assemble a Wings group ready for the new National League South campaign.

Early on, Lyle Della-Verde slung in a free kick for Welling from out wide that almost caught Henry Newcombe out but he was able to get back and tip it onto the bar and over then, at the other end. Matt Bodkin made room for himself but his shot was blocked by Brad Pearce.

Kristian Campbell was at the heart of a lot of Welling’s good football first shooting over from twenty yards before having another effort saved by Newcombe. He then won a tackle and showed great skill to come away with the ball before turning defence into attack by sending Brad Stevenson away. He shot well but Newcombe made a fine save to keep it out.

Early in the second half, Newcombe made a double save to thwart Della-Verde and Lucas Sinclair before Ryan Hayes crossed for Chatham but their centre-forward was unable to hit the target with his header. Bodkin cut in from the left but his shot was saved by Welling’s trialist goalkeeper and Luke Rooney then looked to have sent the Chats’ centre forward away but Sam Mvemba made a crucial intervention and the goalkeeper tidied up.

Things then became disjointed as both teams made numerous substitutions. Jack Evans shot across the face of goal for Chatham then Della-Verde had a free kick deflected beyond the post for Welling.

A substitute sixteen year old goalkeeper made a great save from an Evans free kick having previously done well to hold a shot from Hayes but Welling had the final two efforts with Campbell wide of the far post and Della-Verde firing over.

After the game, Lovell was please that his Welling team had got a lot from the ninety minutes. “Good fitness session on a very hot day.” he said.

“I thought the boys worked hard. We had a number of opportunities to score. Just a little bit disappointing in the final third but all in all a very good work out. These pre-season friendlies aren’t all about results. They’re about people getting minutes. We were missing four or five players today so it gave the opportunity for some of the other boys to have a game. I think both teams got out of it what they wanted to.

“We had a week off last week for unforeseen circumstances so we’re most probably a week behind where we should be so we’ve got three weeks to go before the start of the season and there will be changes. We’ve got another four friendlies so we’ve got enough games to work on things and get things right.”

Although the squad is starting to come together, it’s not complete. Lovell confirmed “There’s two or three positions that I still want to bring players in but we’ll do that over the next two or three weeks and we’ll see where we are. We’ve signed eleven or twelve players who’ll be the core. We’re still looking at a few trialists.”

Clubs from higher up the pyramid will be releasing trailists shortly who may be keen for an opportunity and Lovell also confirmed that he will be looking to use the loan market. “There are league clubs who will want young professionals to go out on loan. If we can get the right ones in from these clubs to help us, it will be perfect for us. In this day and age when there’s not much money around at football clubs at the moment, if it helps the league clubs that we’ve taken them from, it’s going to help us so they’re quite keen for them to come out so it’ll improve the squad.”

Although Chatham are from further down the pyramid, they have a lot of experienced players and a far more settled group of players. “There’s a very good squad here. A very good squad.” said Lovell.

“The ground improvements here are brilliant and they’ve got good people running the club so I think they’re going to go places so for today, to come here and put on a good performance, I’m happy but as I say it’s not about the result, it’s about getting players fit and understanding the way we’re going to play.”

Images courtesy of Dave Budden