Although it was questionable whether the National League should suspend the leagues, once it was decided that games would continue Welling United enjoyed a one-sided victory over Billericay Town.

Manager Bradley Quinton was without players through injury, illness and as a result of the current climate but he put together a system with the personnel available, to claim the three points. “I thought it would hurt them.” he said. “The positional sense today was spot on. We could have gone in at half time at four or five-nil. We had did our homework on them.”

Romoney Crichlow-Noble, Harold Joseph and new signing Daniel Boateng were all absent and that meant that Quinton only had one centre back available so he played a back three with Cameron James and Connor Dymond either side of Rob Swaine. Quinton enthused “Cameron and Connor came in and did a good job next to Swainey and they looked solid. Cookie (Anthony Cook) got more on the ball and overall they all did well today.

“The movement allowed Diaz (Wright) to break. Monts (Montel Agyemang) would sit and then support, Phil Roberts as well. I think the keeper’s made four or five saves, parried a lot in the first half, wasn’t falling for us, then we hit the post as well. The movement off the ball was exciting to watch. Gav (McCallum) wasn’t getting on the ball as much as Cookie was but he played well and did a job. The system worked really well today. I was really pleased with today’s performance. Clean sheet as well. If you’re a neutral watching this game, you’d probably say Welling deserved more goals than that so I’ll take two-nil.” 

Up front, Quinton made a change that was not enforced, starting with Adam Coombes ahead of Bradley Goldberg. He explained “It’s nothing that he (Goldberg)’s done wrong. Coombsie trained well in the week, against his old club as well, I thought he could pin them in a bit more and his goal, it came off. 

“We’ve been working on that in training, to get him in between the lines, to get out wide and get crosses in the box. Coombsie’s been working hard in training, fair play to him. He’s frustrated as well as the others. You could just tell, the moment it’s left his head, he’s guided it back. Great delivery as well.”

Goldberg came on and was fouled for the penalty that Cook converted to make the game safe. Quinton was in no doubt that it was a correct decision saying “Bradley put his body in front of the player. I know (Michael) Chambers really well but Brad’s got in the position, we call it the dance floor, and you can’t touch anyone there. He was in the right area to make the defender run into the wrong way where they don’t want to be running.”

Dipo Akinyemi also came close to scoring. Quinton said “Great unselfishness from Swainey to keep the ball alive. Hes headed the ball back across goal when some people always want to try and score and go for goal. Dipo’s headed across the face of goal, which was the right way, but it’s off the frame and the crossbar.”

At half time there was quite a commotion coming from the visitors’ changing room but although it could be heard in Welling’s room, nobody took much notice. “I focus on my dressing room.” confirmed Quinton. “For the first five minutes, we all chill. We relax. We don’t say a word. You can hear a pin drop. We get our breathing back because when you come off the field you should be blowing out of your backside because you’ve put hard work in.

“It’s good to see the boys. They’re smiling. My focus is on the players at the moment and keeping this side in this league and at the moment we’re doing the right things.”