League leaders Welling United visit seventh placed St. Albans City in what promises to be an entertaining evening.

On Saturday, Welling defeated Gloucester City 3-1 to leap-frog Billericay Town to the summit on goal difference. However, Wings’ manager Steve King was in no mood to rest on his laurel and turned his thoughts to the next match immediately.

“They won again today.” he said. “They beat Slough 3-2 and they’re one of the top scorers in the league. It will be another tough game. They score a lot. They let in a lot but they’re in good form now as well. It doesn’t get any easier”.

He will be boosted by having Julien Anau and David Ijaha available again following the completion of their one match suspensions as Montel Agyemang will not be able to play. “Montel’s playing for Bournemouth on Wednesday night.” explained King.

Against Gloucester, Welling were very good for the first seventy-five minutes. Brendan Kiernan finished off an excellent team move to put Welling ahead in the opening exchanges. Early in the second period Nassim made it two.

When Matt Paterson marked his debut with a third, another outstanding goal, it should have been game over but Gloucester pulled one back with thirteen minutes remaining and had Welling looking uncomfortable for the next few minutes. However they regained their composure and saw the game out with no further alarm.

There have been fifty-one goals scored in St. Albans’ thirteen games so far this season, twenty-eight for and twenty-three against. At home they have won four, drawn one and lost two. Their defeats have been 3-2 versus Hampton and Richmond Borough and 2-0 against Bath City.

In the corresponding fixture last season, Welling put in one of their best away displays of the season. Joe Healy gave them a deserved lead just before half time and Jack Jebb finished a good move midway through the second half. Nathaniel Pinney pulled one back in injury time but it was too little too late and the Wings claimed three well earned points.

That was just over a year ago, and so much has happened since then that it will have little bearing in what will happen in this season’s fixture.

Picture supplied by Dave Budden.