After their winning run came to an end on Saturday, Welling United manager Bradley Quinton wanted a reaction and he certainly got that at Hampton and Richmond Borough on Tuesday evening.

Had it not been for a superb performance by Hampton goalkeeper Dion-Curtis Henry, Welling would almost certainly have returned home with all three points. However, it was the hosts who went ahead through Niko Muir three minutes before the break.

Quinton’s team weren’t to be denied though, and levelled with 17 minutes remaining when the creator of Hampton’s goal, Sam Deadfield, turned villain by bringing down Chiori Johnson and conceding a penalty. Adam Coombes had seen a first half penalty saved so captain Anthony Cook took the responsibility with the second and smashed it home. The point that the Wings took home was the least that they deserved.

On Saturday, United are on the road again with a visit to Dulwich Hamlet. Dulwich are two places and one point above Welling with their last result being a creditable goal-less draw at Havant and Waterlooville following a five-three victory over Chelmsford City. 

When the two clubs met at Park View Road earlier in the season neither team did enough to win and the game ended in a pretty uneventful nil-nil draw.

At home, Dulwich have won four, drawn four and lost seven but they have gone four league games at Champion Hill since the last of those seven losses, and one of their earlier home successes was against runaway league leaders Wealdstone.

Team selection will be interesting for Quinton. Connor Dymond and Bradley Rolt, both completed their suspensions on Tuesday night and both Cameron James and  Diaz Wright have had their loans extended for another month. Rob Swaine is also likely be ready to return following injury and illness so Quinton should have a full squad from which to pick. As a result, and in order to keep everyone fit, a player or two may be sent out on loan to keep them sharp.

Last season’s corresponding game ended in a two-one victory for the hosts. Nathan Green, now a Welling player put Dulwich ahead. Both teams had opportunities and Dipo Akinyemi, also now at Welling, thought that he had made it two but Dan Wilks made what was probably his save of the season to keep it out. 

Four minutes remained when substitute Decarrey Sherriff made it two but Welling pulled one back three minutes later when Bradley Goldberg’s shot was saved but came out and hit Michael Chambers and flew back in for an own goal.

From the Welling squad on show that day, only four players remain at the Wings, Wilks, Goldberg, Montel Agyemang and Gavin McCallum whilst Nyren Clunis, Quade Taylor and Dominic Vose are the only three Dulwich players in their sixteen who were also in the squad at Havant.

As stated, some players have swapped clubs in the meantime with Akinyemi and Green having been joined by Cook in moving south. David Ijaha and Danny Mills have travelled the other way and other former Wings at Dulwich include Taylor, Vose and Jeffrey Monakana.