Since their F.A. Cup defeat at Eastleigh, Welling United have endured a miserable run of form and will be looking to end it when entertaining Dulwich Hamlet.

Including cup games, Welling have gone seven games without a win since beating AFC Tavistock, and goalscoring has been a major problem. They failed to score in five of those games and have now gone four league games without a goal.

This has left them teetering on the relegation precipice three places and three points above the bottom two and they need to reverse their form quickly if they are to surge into the top half of the table.

Their game with Dulwich Hamlet was originally scheduled for Saturday but Dulwich had advanced to the first round of the F.A. Cup and hosted Carlisle United in a live televised game on Friday evening.

Welling’s management took the opportunity to take an additional training session on Saturday and will hope that it has an effect on their creativity.

Dulwich’s cup run was ended by Carlisle who won four-one at Champion Hill and they are also looking at moving up the table as they are only one point ahead of the Wings but have played one game fewer.

Away from home they have won twice (at Tonbridge Angels and Eastbourne Borough), drawn three and lost just two. They signed two players prior to Friday’s game, and both will be available against Welling. Midfielder Ben Dempsey is on loan from Charlton Athletic and Nathan Smith has signed on a short term deal having played for Dagenham and Redbridge last season.

One Welling player, Jack Jebb, has left the club and signed for Wealdstone whilst Dquame Copeland has gone out on loan to Merstham.

Last season, the Wings twice hosted Dulwich Hamlet. In the season opener, the Wings won two-nil with second half goals scored by Thierry Audel and Jebb, then in November they again met at Park View Road, this time in the F.A. Trophy. Matthew Paterson put the Wings ahead early on but Carew levelled through a highly contentious penalty. There was no further goal-scoring and Dulwich won the replay in one of their last games at Tooting and Mitcham.

Midweek games have produced some memorable nights over recent years and Wings manager Mark Goldberg will be hoping that the special atmosphere will lift his team out of their current slump.

Picture supplied by Dave Budden.