Co-caretaker manager Harry Wheeler departed Welling United during the week but Mark Goldberg wasted no time in appointing Alex Dyer as manager for the rest of the season with Tristan Lewis aiding in a coaching role.

Dyer watched the team training on Thursday ahead of his first game against Gosport Borough, which the Wings won 4-0. He was at pains to say that it wasn’t as straightforward as the scoreline suggested.

“It wasn’t easy.” he said “We just needed a win. That was the most important thing. We set our stall out first half and we came in at half time and it was alright. It wasn’t great but it was alright and we just wanted to tweak a few little things at half time, which we did, and it worked out well.

“They started off sharp, second half, got the goal and it settled us right down and we scored again. After that I think that we were quite confident.It was a hard game, pressure wise. They knew what was at stake. If we had lost today we would have been right in it. They showed good character today.”

Just after Welling had taken the lead, Chris Lewington was called upon to make a good save from Tony Lee. Dyer had praise for the Welling goalkeeper saying “It was an important save. He made a couple of good saves. It was nice. That’s what he’s there for. ”

“It’s the first time I’ve really seen him and I was impressed. Apart from that we didn’t have any real trouble. I thought the back four were good all afternoon.”

He then went on to comment about other areas of the team. “Working through the midfield, they did their job and the two wide men at the club are a handful on their day. They just have to improve on their end product which is why they are at this level and not the next level up. With training and with help, hopefully they will improve and that will happen. Both wide men have got pace but you can have all the pace in the world and if you don’t deliver at the right time, pick out the right passes, and they’ve got to get that in the game.”

Alex Cathline also drew praise from Dyer, his brace being his first Welling goals. “The big man up front worked hard from the first minute.”he said, continuing “The battles that he had to win, the two centre halves were on him and he came through that and he got his rewards with his two goals. It was good to see.

“I know he hadn’t scored and everyone was looking at him and today he’s produced. He created the first goal and created a couple of other chances in the first half so it was a good day for him all round. He’s a handful and he’s raw, he’s twenty. He needs coaching, he needs developing and with time I don’t see why he can’t go on to a higher level. I’m not sure what level yet but he’ll want to prove himself at the next level.

“It’s the first time that I’ve seen them all, but I was impressed.” he continued “I was obviously happy that we won the game. It showed me good characters in the changing room. They wanted to win the game. We sat down and spoke about being collective, being together, and even if we go a goal down, don’t give up.

“We’ve got some good team spirit in the players and it showed, obviously with the help of Tristan (Lewis). He’s been brilliant since I’ve come in and knows the players more than I do and Mark’s (Goldberg) given me all the help I need and said just go and do your thing.”

Explaining how he got the role at Welling, he said “I got a call or a text from Tristan asking what am I doing. He said the club needs a manager and he didn’t really want to do it. He said that Mark puts his hand in a lot but if I come in, I’ll take charge and I’ll do it the way that I want to do it.

“I watched them train on Thursday evening and came in on Friday morning and from that point I just thought about this game. The team was picked with Mark and Tristan because they knew the players and all the rest was left for me and Tristan to get on with.”

Now, Dyer starts his first full week in charge and said that in charge means just that. “Who picks the team on Friday? That’s me now.” he said “My ego isn’t that big that I can come into a club and start picking a team that I didn’t really know, the players and the characters, but I learnt a little more today and I’ll still want help and ask for advice and I’ll go to Mark, and I’ll go to Tristan, but from now on I’ll pick the side and that’s the way it’s got to be going forward.

Not all the Welling players are new to him as he explained. “I knew a few of the players before and I worked with Jordan Brown at West Ham. I know what he’s got, I know his qualities, and to be fair he should be playing higher. That comes with hard work and dedication and a break here and there.

“There’s some good players here and they shouldn’t be where they are, but they are here because something’s gone wrong in the past. Whatever reason it is, whether they’ve not switched on in the past, it’s just the way it is but right now, while I’m here for the next four days, we’ve got to do the best that we can and try and make sure that at the end of the season, we’re still in this league.”

At the moment, his role at Park View Road is until the end of the season, and e was reluctant to speak about what might happen beyond then. He said “I’m here for the next four games and after that I’ve not even spoken to Mark about it. I’m not even looking beyond the last game, the Kent cup final, we’ll speak about things then.

“I’m not really fussed about that. I just want to make sure, now that I’ve taken this on, that we stay in this division at the end of the season. Whatever happens, happen.”

Although there is the Kent Reliance Senior Cup Final against Dover Athletic on the horizon, that will have to wait. Dyer explained “It’s beautiful to finish the season with a cup final but I said to them before the game, don’t mention the cup, the cup doesn’t get mentioned again until that week. It doesn’t get mentioned before then because we’ve got too many important games.

“There’s too much importance in the next four games. This is a big step today but we’re not home and dry so the next game on Friday, we’ve got to make sure that we come out with the same attitude, same tempo and go again and not lose that game. We don’t want to lose.

“We want to win but we don’t want to lose that game. Then the players can start relaxing a bit and even more start expressing themselves on the pitch. Football’s football. You can always think that you’ve made it and you don’t. You think that you are safe and all of a sudden someone goes and wins. I’ll take nothing for granted until mathematically it’s done.”

Picture supplied by Dave Budden.