Following their Boxing Day win over Dartford, Welling United have another tough challenge ahead of them when they host Concord Rangers.

Victory over their local rivals lifted the Wings to third in the league but Concord’s win at East Thurrock United kept them right on their coat tails in fourth place level on points but behind on goal difference.

Josh Hill and Danny Mills scored the goals that saw Welling triumph on Boxing Day and draw level with Concord in having the best home record in the Vanarama National League South. Each has won eight drawn two and lost just once.

Concord’s one home defeat came when they hosted Welling earlier in the season, and it was a heavy loss at that. In a game that was acknowledged widely as the Wings’ most complete performance under Steve King, they overcame the loss of John Paul Kissock early on to overwhelm the Canvey Island based club.

Brendan Kiernan opened the scoring in the fifteenth minute and Jack Jebb doubled their lead in first half injury time. Bradley Goldberg added a third soon after the break then Gavin McCallum added a fourth before Thierry Audel finished the scoring for the afternoon.

Away from home, Concord haven’t found life quite so easy having won three, drawn three and lost five however Sammy Moore’s team are unbeaten in five games in December.

In the corresponding fixture at Park View Road last season, the two sides shared six goals in a game that ebbed and flowed throughout the ninety minutes. Despite starting strongly, Welling went behind in the ninth minute when Amos Nasha swept home from fifteen yards.

They then missed a host of chances before falling further behind just shy of the hour mark when Kyron Farrell tapped into an empty net after Concord cut their defence open.

Joe Healy pulled one back with a long range drive then Eli Phipps levelled when getting on the end of Archie Johnson’s cross.

When Phipps scored again with six minutes remaining it looked as though Welling had completed a spectacular come back but their defence let them down again in injury time when Khale Da Costa was able to smash home from close range.

Images courtesy of Dave Budden