New Welling United manager, Peter Taylor, starts his tenure with a visit to Oxford City.

Taylor watched Welling’s heavy defeat against Dartford last weekend and Mark Goldberg, Welling’s chairman, had expected the former caretaker England manager to want another look at the  team before deciding whether to accept the challenge.

After the Dartford game, Goldberg explained the reason for bringing the Oxford game forward  “He can’t see anything in training games. He wouldn’t be able to make a decision on players so I needed to get another game on. After two games he might feel more comfortable to come on board, as opposed to one game, especially against Dartford. If I had a manager in place I wouldn’t have arranged this game.”

However, Taylor did accept the position without a second game and took his first training session on Tuesday and it will be interesting to see who he selects for his first starting eleven. 

Like Welling, Oxford were knocked out of the F.A. Cup by a team from a lower league, two-one away to Frome Town. However, their league form has been better. They drew their first three league games before hammering Bath City five-one.

Oxford’s only league defeat followed, at home to Maidstone United, before they bounced back with a win at Havant and Waterlooville. Last Saturday they were held to a one all draw at home to Hampton and Richmond Borough.

When Welling visited Oxford in January, they came away with a point from a nil-nil draw but they missed enough chances to have won comfortably. The host broadcaster predicting a four-nil home win and Welling will again go looking to upset the odds.  

Picture supplied by Dave Budden.