On Saturday, Welling United are on the road to the west country again with a visit to Chippenham Town in a Vanarama National League South match.

Since mid-January, the Wings have travelled to Torquay United, Weston-super-Mare and Weymouth in a busy spell. In their last twelve games, Welling have picked up just two wins and a draw and, as a result, they have dropped into the bottom four.

Their most recent league games was played last Saturday when they hosted league leaders Dorking Wanderers. After conceding early, the Wings missed some good chances, especially in the first half, and ended losing one-nil.

Meanwhile, mid-table Chippenham claimed a good two-one win at Hampton and Richmond Borough. Tyreke Johnson and Matt McClure both scored in a three minute spell midway through the first half. Although Hampton pulled one back four minutes before half time, they were unable to find an equaliser in the second period. The Bluebirds are twelve points adrift of the play-offs, but have a game in hand.

It will be the return game between Welling and Chippenham this season as they met at Park View Road in November. The Wings got off to a horrendous start and were three down after just thirteen minutes. Leone Gravata, Harry Parsons and Tom Owen-Evans were all on target. Owen-Evans added a fourth with thirteen minutes remaining to cap off a miserable afternoon for Welling.

At home, Chippenham have an inferior record to their form away and have won five, drawn two and lost eight. Since 2018, Welling have visited the Wiltshire club six times, winning two, drawing one and losing three. In last season’s encounter between the two teams at Hardenhuish Park, it was a proverbial game of two halves. Welling had the slope and strong wind in their favour in the first period but were only one goal to the good at half time, scored by Jack Burchell.

After the break, it took Chippenham twenty minutes before a Luke Haines shot from thirty-five yards flew in. Johnson put them ahead with a cross that got taken by the wind and into the net and the hosts didn’t look back. Owen-Evans added a third before Johnson scored his second of the afternoon.       

Rod Stringer, Welling’s manager, will be without injured Chiori Johnson but should have his two signings announced this week, Garrett Kelly and Scott Kashket, and the rest of his squad available unless anyone suffered a reaction from their Kent Senior Cup Semi-Final against Dover Athletic.

Picture supplied by Dave Budden.