Although it’s a random mid-winter Saturday, Welling United entertain Dartford in a local derby this weekend.
Over the festive period the Darts played back to back fixtures against Ebbsfleet but Bank Holidays in August and Easter might have been a more obvious choice for the upcoming game.
It was not to be however, so the two teams meet this weekend both full of confidence.
Hosts Welling have lost just once in eight games and enter the game on the back of an excellent victory in the F.A. Trophy away to Bromley.
They went behind early on but that does not appear to faze the current Welling side. There was a degree of good fortune in their equaliser when Danny Waldren’s cross found the net, but it was an excellent delivery and Harry Crawford’s run left Alan Julian discombobulated in the Bromley goal
There was nothing he could do about the winner when Adam Coombes’ free kick left him grasping at thin air. It was the Welling striker’s 30th goal of the season in all competitions and he will pick up the Vanarama National South player of December before the start of the game on Saturday
Unfortunately for Dartford, they did not have such a happy Trophy experience, losing 1-0 at home to Chelmsford City but they bounced back with a rousing victory at home to Weston-super-Mare on Tuesday night in bitterly cold conditions.
Going in at half time 1-0 behind, they also showed fortitude and went ahead through goals by Tom Wynter and Danny Harris. The Seagulls came back and levelled but Alex Brown grabbed the winner with a twenty yard effort with eight minutes remaining. As a result, the Darts climbed to third place, nine points behind leaders Maidenhead United. .
When Dartford hosted Welling earlier in the season, they ran out 2-1 winners in a low key match. Brown put them ahead, being the first to the rebound after Chris Lewington beat out Elliot Bradbrook’s penalty.
Another Coombes free kick special brought Welling level but Bradbrook claimed a close range winner at the far post.
That was not the only meeting between the two clubs this season as they were drawn against each other in the Kent Senior Cup at Park View Road.
Crawford put Welling ahead in the 21st minute but Ryan Hayes equalised before break. Keaton Wood headed Dartford into the lead after the interval and Dartford looked to be in control until Welling came on strongly in the last fifteen minutes.
Sam Hatton fired a shot that hit Wood on the back and looped into the net but then missed an injury time spot kick that could have won the game. As a result the match was decided on penalties. Harry Girling was Welling’s hero saving three penalties out of four while the Wings converted all of theirs.
Now the two teams meet for the final time this season, looking for points for very different reasons.