On Sunday, Welling United undertake the trip over the Thames to play Grays Athletic in the FA Cup.

There seemed an eternity to wait before the date and time were confirmed and it still seems incredible that a game in the most famous domestic knock-out tournament in the world plays second fiddle to a step seven league fixture.

Eventually, the announcement was made for a 14:00 Sunday kick off at Aveley F.C.

Loui Fazakerley and his management team will have spent the week working on a game plan. They had the opportunity to check out their entire first team squad available with a Vanarama league game at Barrow last Saturday and a Kent Senior Cup game on the following Monday.

Fazakerley, Matt McEntegart and Paul Barnes have left supporters in no doubt about how  vital the F.A. Cup is to them. As important as the prize money is to the club, it is their first major cup campaign as a management team. They are every bit as keen as the supporters in progressing and will be fielding the strongest team they have available.

They may be without Zac Fagan and George Porter (injured), Tom King, Harry Lee and Sandro Semedo (requiring permission from parent clubs)), Nortei Nortey and Kojo Awotwi (cup tied) plus Tashan Adeyinka and Joey Taylor (out on loan) but the remainder of the squad should have sufficient quality to be in Monday’s draw for the first round.

One thing the Welling management won’t do is to underestimate Grays. They are just outside the Ryman Premier play-offs but have games in hand. Their last league game was a 4-0 victory over Lewes. One of their substitutes that day was assistant manager Glen Little who held the same position at Welling last season during Jody Brown’s short tenure.

Due to the number of Welling players unavailable in the F.A. Cup, several Development squad players were included in first team training on Saturday morning with a view to being included in the squad going to Grays on the following day.

That left the second team needing to bring in fringe players for their cup tie with Camberley Town. The visitors went ahead early on with a shot that took an enormous deflection leaving Welling goalkeeper Matt Bishop stranded.

Harry Fenner came close to equalising soon after but the Wings went into the break still one down.

After the break, Welling played some excellent passing football that kept the visitors on the back foot. The equaliser by Reece Collins, a header from a well worked corner, was no less than they deserved. Collins, Olly Freeman, Sam Bailey, Marcus Kempton and Harvey Brand were all thwarted by a superb display from the Camberley goalkeeper before Collins finished off good work from the impressive Bailey.

As a result, the Welling team go into the second leg a goal to the good and confident that they can progress.

Picture supplied by Dave Budden.