Boxing Day local derbies always have a bit of spice to them but when they are between two clubs in the play-off zone with one point between them, it becomes even more mouth watering.

That will be the case when Welling United entertain Dartford on Wednesday. Steve King’s Wings are in fourth place in the Vanarama National League South whilst Jamie Coyle and Adam Flanagan have overseen the Darts’ rise to sixth place in the division.

On Saturday, Dartford defeated Hungerford Town 2-1 at Princes Park. They went ahead in the tenth minute through Jamie Philpot, who played under Coyle at Welling in the 2017-18 season. It took until seventy minutes for them to extend their lead when Lee Noble volleyed home from close range. Marvel Ekpieta pulled one back for the Crusaders in injury time but it was too little too late.

Meanwhile, Welling were playing their third consecutive away game when visiting Hemel Hempstead Town. After having lost two in a row it appeared that they were going to suffer a third straight loss until they equalised with four minutes remaining.

After a first forty minutes that Welling controlled without creating too much, Nassim L’Ghoul was brought down by the last man, Kyle Connolly who was duly dismissed. Welling then dominated the remaining fifty minutes yet fell behind when Scott Shulton took advantage of a defensive lapse. Gavin McCallum’s cross went in off the far post to restore parity with four minutes remaining, which was the bare minimum that Welling deserved.

Strangely, the Boxing Day fixture will be Welling’s first game at home in December and Dartford’s first away. The Darts’ away record is decent as they have won four, drawn one and lost four. Their last four away games in the league have yielded three wins at Hampton, Gloucester and Chippenham and one defeat at Truro.

At home, only Concord Rangers have a better record than Welling’s seven wins, two draws and one defeat. Their last four home games have seen them win three, all by a 3-1 scoreline, against Hungerford Town, Weston-super-Mare and Gloucester City, and draw one with Wealdstone.

Therefore both teams come into the game in form although the form book counts for little in games such as this.

When the two teams met at Park View Road on Boxing Day last season it was the visitors who came out on top. Andy Pugh opened the scoring against his former club in just the third minute and added a second ten minutes after the break. Callum Driver, who is now a Dart, pulled one back with thirteen minutes remaining then Jeffrey Monakana levelled from the spot ten minutes later. As the game went into injury time, Alfie Pavey who had started the season at Welling, let fly with a spectacular volley that flew into the top corner to seal it for the Darts.

Images courtesy of Dave Budden