After yet another away game on Tuesday night, Welling United return to Park View Road on Saturday when they host Chippenham Town.

So far this season, they have played six Vanarama National League South games and one F.A. Cup tie on the road and just two league games at home.

Their draw on Tuesday at Braintree extended the Wings undefeated run to four games following a draw at Concord Rangers, a victory at Hemel Hempstead Town and a further draw at home to Billericay Town. Now manager Brad Quinton will want to start turning draws into wins.

On Tuesday, Dipo Akinyemi rescued a point with a spectacular goal one minute from time but it was a game that they really should have won. Had they taken their clear cut chances they could have been five or six up before the Iron broke the deadlock with nine minutes remaining so the late equaliser, the first goal conceded by Braintree under Ryan Maxwell, was the least that they deserved.

Chippenham will present a challenge as they have a better record away from home than at their home ground in Wiltshire. They have recorded victories at Dulwich Hamlet and Chelmsford City and a draw at Oxford City. Their two defeats were at Hungerford Town and St. Albans City. On Tuesday night, they were leading one-nil at Tonbridge Angels before the game was abandoned due to dense fog.

Injury to Reise Charles-Cook meant that Welling had to bring in a new goalkeeper for their trip to Braintree and Nathan Harness came in on-loan from Charlton Athletic for his debut. He has signed until 3^rd January to cover for Charles-Cook’s back injury. Also absent was Ryan Blackman who was serving a one match ban for five yellow cards, four of which he accumulated before signing for Welling. He is expected to resume his position in central midfield against the Bluebirds. 

When the two teams met at Park View Road back in February, it was a tight encounter that the Wings won courtesy of an Akinyemi goal two minutes before half time. The game on Saturday promises to be another close game and Welling will hope for a similar outcome to pull away from the danger zone.

Picture supplied by Dave Budden.