Going into their final game of the season, Welling United need a victory while Kidderminster Harriers have to lose at Southport for the Wings to avoid the wooden spoon.

Visitors Boreham Wood will have their own reasons for wanting a win as only a victory would guarantee them survival in their first season in the Vanarama National League. Should they fail to win, combined with Guiseley winning and FC Halifax claiming at least a point, they would join the Wings in the National League South. Two successive wins have put them in the best position of the clubs in danger and they will come into the game brimming with confidence.

When the two teams met earlier in the season, Boreham Wood ran out comfortable winners. Jamie Lucas put the hosts ahead just shy of the 20 minute mark and Joe Devera added a second nineteen minutes into the second half. Welling’s misery was completed when Harry Osborne was sent off four minutes before time.

Since then Welling have been through two changes of management with ex Bromley boss Mark Goldberg acting as caretaker manager until the end of the season.

His first match, last Saturday, was a disappointing 5-0 defeat for the Wings at Altrincham. He couldn’t hide his disappointment with the scoreline but accepted that looking forward was of much greater importance.

“It’s all about character now.” he said. “We are going to be more resilient but we don’t want to go into next week’s game just to defend. We are going to go into the game and try and get a result.”

Looking beyond the final game, Goldberg has big plans for the future. “I see a great opportunity at Welling. I think that both Barrie and Barry Hobbins have done an exceptional job. It’s actually truly remarkable that they’ve managed to stay in the National League, first to get promoted into the National League, and then to stay in the National League for as long as they have with the resources that they have.

“I’m hoping that I can bring some of my experience and my own plans to improve the facilities, improve the infrastructure of the club and then to generate new revenue streams for the club so that it can be more self sustainable. Once we get the infrastructure right, we can then move forward as a club and hopefully look up rather than looking down in the way we unfortunately are at the moment.”

He hopes to be able to address any concerns that Welling supporters may have. “I have no concerns about facing up. In fact, I’d welcome the opportunity to meet with the fans just for them to understand what my intentions are of getting involved with the club and that my heart is here to stay.

“I left Bromley without fulfilling all my ambitions so there’s some undone business that I’d like to do and I’d love to do it with Welling United Football Club.”

Pictures supplied by Dave Budden.