Following defeats in the National League South and the London Senior Cup, Welling United start their F.A. Trophy campaign with a trip to Hungerford Town.

An away game to a club in Welling United’s own league was not the draw that they would have wished for but Peter Taylor will be looking at this game as a chance to bounce back.

Last Saturday, Welling lost heavily at Ebbsfleet United, going behind in less than a minute. They were further behind before ten minutes were on the board and five down by half time. One more goal with a minute remaining equalled Welling’s heaviest defeat of the season.

On Tuesday, they visited Dulwich Hamlet and Taylor made six changes to the starting line-up, giving some fringe players a run-out. He also chose to watch the game from the stand for a different perspective..Bradley Stevenson gave Welling the lead but Dulwich equalised five minutes before the break. Two more goals in the second half ensured progress to the third round for the hosts, and a visit to Hendon. 

There has already been one meeting between Welling and Hungerford this season, in the Wings’ first home game back in August. That game also ended badly for Welling. Simo Mbonkwi scored the first in the ninth minute and his, and Hungerford’s, second goal twenty minutes later. 

Dipo Akinyemi pulled one back five minutes before the break but Ryan Seager’s penalty in the final minute of the first half restored their two goal lead. Mbonkwi completed his hat-trick ten minutes into the second period as Welling were well beaten.

It will be Welling’s first visit to the town since September 2019 when they won two-one. Danny Waldren and Anthony Cook were Welling’s scorers with James Rusby grabbing a consolation goal for the Crusaders deep into injury time.

Picture supplied by Dave Budden.