It’s ‘do or die’ for Welling Town when they entertain Kennington in the Southern Counties East Football League tonight.

To avoid finishing in the automatic relegation spot, they have to win their last two matches and hope that one of the two teams above them fail to claim a point on Saturday.

That would represent a major upturn in form for the Boots who have not won a match since defeating Fisher two-one at the start of December. In eighteen games in 2024 they have collected just two points. 

On Saturday they went to promotion chasing Faversham Town. Billy Bennett put the hosts ahead in just the seventh minute but Welling levelled fourteen minutes later through Ayodeji Owoeye.

Although Bennett put Faversham back ahead shortly after the half hour mark, the Boots were still in the game until Warren Mfula added a third with eleven minutes remaining. Daniel Thompson put salt in the wound by making it four-one five minutes later.

Meanwhile, Kennington were winning for the first time in six games in their game at home to Punjab United. They went ahead two minutes before the hour mark through Finlay Dent. However, four minutes later, parity was restored. It appeared that the honours would be shared until Kyron Lightfoot scored a last minute winner.

One of Welling’s 2024 points was won at Kennington earlier this month. The Ton went ahead in the twentieth minute through Adam Phillips however, within fifteen minutes the Boots were ahead. Sam Bailey and Jeff Duah-Kessie notched the goals and they held the lead until Joe Fisher equalised with five minutes remaining.

When the Boots hosted Kennington in February last season, the visitors won comfortably through first half goals scored by Rajan Sahni, Fisher and Tom Penfold.

Kevin Oakes’ Boots will keep battling while there is still a chance while Rusthall and Sutton Athletic will be monitoring their progress hoping for a tension free Saturday.

Picture supplied by Dave Budden.