In a game on a difficult hard sloping pitch Welling United claimed a point at Hungerford Town. After the game, Wings manager Warren Feeney gave his thoughts.

“I’m really pleased with a clean sheet but when you’re on top in the first half, you’ve got to score. We had George’s one that trickled across. We got into good positions. It’s just that little bit of quality. It’s been like that for the last few games. We started the game really, really well.

“It’s a difficult, difficult place to come but the players never gave up today.”

Feeney continued: “They kept going but it’s been hard. They put a performance in today. You can see that a few boys are out on their last legs out there but they want to play for the shirt and club.”

He also had praise for the Welling supporters who made the journey despite recent disappointing results.

“It was a great turnout by the fans today.” He said. “It was good to see them and I wish everybody a safe journey home.”

Christie Pattisson gave the Hungerford left side of defence a torrid time until he had to come off after twenty minutes of the second half. Feeney said:

“You know what Christie’s game is all about. It’s pace. He’s quick and we were getting that bit of joy out of him even in the second half.

“When he went down, you’ve got to tinker with what happens when he comes off. Thank goodness it’s not a pull but he’s felt it (hamstring) the same as Medy Elito, and that’s why you’ve got to have a squad, you’ve got to be ready. We’ll dust them down and see how they are for Tuesday night.”

Rob Howard also had to be replaced eight minutes after Pattisson had gone off. He said: “He’s hurt his back, Rob, it’s just probably with the games that come thick and fast. We’ve got to get on with it, we’ve got to accept it and make sure that everyone’s ready to step in.”

Myles Roberts made one important save in the second half, and Feeney was delighted with his performance as well.

He said: “You know what Hungerford’s about. They throw the ball into the box but Myles has stood up and made a fantastic save. That was probably the only shot that he had to deal with today where with us, one in the first half and one in the second half which we should probably have done a little better with.”

Although Amadou Kassarate’s suspension will have ended in time for Tuesday night’s game at Farnborough, the three injuries may make those players unavailable.

Feeney joked: “I may have to get a few of the fans in to come onto the pitch and play for me.”

However, on a more serious note, he continued: “I said to them (the players) in there (the changing room), ‘make sure your recovery’s right tonight.’ I don’t mind players going and having a bit of dinner with their wives, a glass of wine, but I don’t want to see players out, doing this and doing that, because we’ve got games to get over.”

“It’s great as a player when games come thick and fast but we’ve got to make sure that they’re right and ready for them.”

He has always been keen to impress the importance of the entire squad and he went on to say: “The players who are not involved and the players who are on the subs bench are just as crucial as the ones who are starting and that’s why you’ve got to be together. They’re going to have a big part to play and that’s why you’ve got to ready whenever you’re called upon.”

Anthony Papadopoulos has been out on loan but has now returned and came on for the last ten minutes. Feeney explained: “I want boys to go and play games. He went out and scored a few goals. George, I thought, worked very hard today. Him and Ade were probably a bit frustrated at times with the balls in, the quality, but I thought that Anthony with ten minutes to go, I fancied his chances. He is a good kid, he works hard and he’s got it all in front of him.”

Forty-six matches is a punishing schedule for a part time league and Feeney has not used his full quota of loan signings and is talking to his contacts regularly to explore possibilities.

“I’ll be trying right to the end.” he said. “I think we need to as well because you’ve seen that we’re flogging the players at the minute. I’m not one for changing a lot because I don’t think there’s too much wrong.

“Yes, I’m disappointed with some of the results but if you look at the goals we’ve given away, they haven’t been through tactics, they’ve been through concentration levels and mistakes and that’s the one thing. I said to my players, ‘You’ve always got to concentrate when the ball’s dead, you’ve always got to see dangers. Stay concentrated because you want the other team to switch off and if you’re concentration is right for ninety minutes, you’ll have a chance.’”

Picture supplied by Dave Budden.