On Saturday, Welling United host Bath City in another important Vanarama National League South fixture.

Last Saturday, they claimed a point at Billericay Town in a game that both teams were desperate to win. Billericay came out the quicker and tested the visitors with an ariel bombardment. Welling appeared to have withstood it but made a couple of mistakes and paid for it by going behind. 

Olumide Durojaiye levelled with an excellent strike from the edge of the area but Welling again conceded before the break. After the interval, Welling enjoyed more of the possession but struggled to break down Billericay until Ben Allen was introduced. He sprung the offside trap and squared for Dipo Akinyemi to tap home. Welling might have won it in stoppage time but Kristian Campbell’s shot was turned away brilliantly. 

Their visitors on Saturday, Bath City, have been going through a slump in form and are just two points and one place ahead of Welling so they have their own reasons for wanting to win. They have lost their last five league matches, all against teams in the top seven in the table. They have only drawn one game all season and have won four but lost eleven when on the road.

When the two teams met at Twerton Park in early November, the home team won two-one after a goal-less first half, and it was twenty minutes into the second half when Bath broke the deadlock through Elliott Frear.

Peter Taylor made a double change and Welling upped the pace. However, with five minutes remaining, they got caught short-handed at the back when Bath broke and added a second, scored by Alex Fletcher. Arthur Penney pulled one back in stoppage time but it was only a consolation.

It has all the makings of another tense afternoon with both teams desperate for the points.

Picture supplied by Dave Budden.