When the F.A. Trophy draw paired the Uniteds of Ebbsfleet and Welling, few would have expected both teams to be under the guidance of Caretaker Managers.

However, on Wednesday morning the worst kept secret was released in an official statement confirming that the Welling management team of Jamie Day, Barry Ashby and Dean Frost were leaving the club to take up similar roles for Ebbsfleet.

It was agreed that they would not take the reins until after the Trophy match so Daryl McMahon will lead the team for the last time.

Jamie Turner and team captain Jake Gallagher (currently suspended from playing) will take the helm for Welling for Saturday’s tie which will have extra outside interest following the events.

Day’s last game with the Wings was a well deserved victory at AFC Telford United giving them a nine point buffer (since reduced to eight points) above the relegation zone. Tyrone Marsh and Aristide Bassele scored the goals in the 2-1 win and they go into the game having lost just one of their last six games.

McMahon’s spell as temporary manager has brought two wins out of two, and there is no doubt that he would like to finish on a high. His first game was a hard fought 1-0 home win against Hendon to ensure the Fleet were in the ‘hat’ for this weekend’s game. The other, last Saturday, was a convincing 4-0 win at Maidenhead leaving the club in fourth place, seven points behind Boreham Wood, the league leaders.

The Ebbsfleet players will be keen to impress their new manager sitting in the stand, whilst the Welling team will want to avoid being knocked out of another competition by a team from a lower division.