Games come thick and fast at this time of the season, and barely is one match completed before the next one is imminent.
On Saturday, Welling United enjoyed a 4-1 win at Chippenham Town. No sooner was that game finished that Wings’ manager Steve King had to start preparing for a Tuesday evening game with Billericay Town.
Part time clubs do not have a chance to have a training session ahead of the game but King was not concerned after the Chippenham game. He said “It’s the same for everybody. Billericay played today. They won one-nil. They’ve got to prepare for Tuesday, the same as us.”
The game at Chippenham was played on a hard, dusty, bobbly pitch that was not ideal for Welling’s passing game but they adapted superbly and won comfortably. King expects more passing football against Billericay. “I think that it will be a different kind of game to today.” He said “Today’s more of a physical approach and you had to stand up and be counted. Tuesday night will be more of a football game as in they like to pass the ball as well on a nice pitch that has had some rain now I think. It will be a decent game.”
Welling’s return is six points from three games whilst Billericay have one point more. They won their first game 4-0 away to Truro City with Jake Robinson scoring all four before being rested with fifteen minutes remaining.
They then had to dig deep to claim a point with a Moses Emmanuel injury time equaliser at home to Concord Rangers. That was followed by another tight game when Robinson was again on target with the only goal of the game against Wealdstone.
It will be the first game between the two clubs since the 2012-13 when Billericay had their one previous season at non-league step two level. In that season, Welling won the league but ‘The Blues’ went straight back down.
When the two clubs met at Park View Road on a Tuesday evening in November, Ben Martin gave them an eleventh minute lead before Joe Healy, from the penalty spot, and Scott Kinch both scored in the last ten minutes before half time.
Craig Edwards pulled one back in the 72nd minute but that only served to stir Welling from cruise mode and within four minutes they had added two more through Kiernan Hughes-Mason and Jon Main. Joey Benjamin replied with an injury time consolation as Welling ran out 5-2 winners.