Tough games come thick and fast for Welling United, and there are few tougher than the trip they undertake to Grimsby Town on Saturday.
In some way, that is no bad thing as there is no external expectancy on the young Wings team. However, Jamie Day, the rest of his management team, and the travelling supporters will want to see them building on the improvement shown since the first thirty minutes of the home game against Woking.
Last season, United travelled to Cleethorpes on a cold Tuesday night and went ahead when Joe Healy scored the official Conference Premier goal of the season. Despite having to withstand a second half bombardment it looked as though Welling were going to travel home with all three points when the fifth of the five additional minutes had elapsed. Sadly, an injury and a booking during stoppage time gave the referee an excuse to add further time and the Mariners equalised with the last touch of the ball two minutes later.
Should Welling show similar resolve on Saturday, they are more than capable of getting something out of the game.
Hopefully, Healy will be able to return. An early injury at Halifax saw him withdrawn from that match. He then missed both games over the August Bank Holiday weekend. He then returned to training but re-opened the wound causing him to miss last Saturday’s game with Forest Green Rovers. When asked about a likely return, he said he was hopeful of being back in contention for the trip to Lincolnshire.
Welling will have taken a lot from their game with Forest Green despite being pegged back after taking the lead. The Wings goal came as a result of some touchline trickery by Malachi Hudson allowing him to break away and cross for the unfortunate James Norwood to power into his own net. The England C international atoned in first half injury time by making space cleverly and heading home.
Grimsby are in 12th place at present, having won two, drawn three and lost one, which was their most recent outing at Aldershot Town. Their two wins have rained goals with a 6-1 win at Gateshead and a 7-0 thrashing of Alfreton Town. They were held at home by both Nuneaton Town and Dover Athletic before that and Welling will go to Blundell Park ready to end their poor away run so far this season.
Picture supplied by Dave Budden.