Welling United hope to be back in action on Saturday when they visit Oxford City in the Vanarama National League South.

As game after game has fallen foul of Covid-19.the Wings’ season has been a real stop start campaign and they go into Saturday’s game having only played eleven league and cup matches. In the league they have played just three times at home in their nine completed fixtures and they are away again in their next fixture.

Just one victory in their eleven games, combined with the end of three loans, has caused manager Brad Quinton to make some squad changes. There could be as many as seven player making their debuts at Marsh Lane.

The first two newcomers to come in on loan were Joe Taylor, a prolific striker from Cray Wanderers, and Millwall’s highly rated centre-back Rob Strachan. Then another loanee signing from Cray was Rhys Murrell-Williamson for his second spell at Park View Road.

Four more signings were announced on Tuesday. Highly rated Folkestone Invicta centre back Finn O’Mara has signed on a one month deal and full back Sam Mvemba has signed from Bishop’s Stortford. Returning to the club having come up through the Welling youth age groups is Harvey Brand, signed from Beckenham Town and the final member of the quartet is goalkeeper David Hughes from Aveley.

Departures from the club before Christmas were captain Anthony Cook, centre back Lexus Beeden and striker Rowan Liburd. Then end of loan spells mean that Mustapha Olagunju and Jaheim Headley have returned to Huddersfield Town and Matt Everitt to Brighton and Hove Albion.

Before Wednesday evening, Oxford had not played since their two-nil F.A. Trophy victory at Park View Road but they didn’t appear to be rusty as they won three-one at Billericay Town after being one down at half time.

Oxford’s F.A. Trophy success at Welling back in mid-December was the hosts’ last game before a shutdown caused by Covid-19 positive tests, both to opponents and within their own camp. In that game Nana Owusu scored a goal in each half to send the visitors home happy. However, if Welling play all their signings since then, plus Ryan Blackman and Lyle Della-Verde and players who missed out through injury, it could be an entirely different eleven who take to the pitch. 

Hosts Oxford City are one point off the play-off zone having won five and drawn four of their twelve league games played. Their home form on their 3g pitch is good with three wins and three draws. Only Hampton and Richmond have taken the full three points from them and Oxford have also beaten Northampton Town there in the F.A. Cup. 

Last term’s corresponding fixture should have been the season closer but fell foul to the early termination of the campaign so it will be Welling’s first visit since February 2019 when Bradley Goldberg scored the only goal of the game from the penalty spot in the twentieth minute.

Picture supplied by Dave Budden.