After last weekend’s F.A. Trophy match Welling United are back in league action with a home game against East Thurrock United.
Losing at home to Weston-super-Mare last week was a blow to the club but there are no distractions remaining now and Welling can get back to the bread and butter of the Vanarama National League South Division.
Between the F.A. Cup defeat and last weekend, the Wings played eight league games, winning five, drawing two and losing just one. If they can put together another run like that, then they will be handily placed in the league towards the end of January.
They have a tough set of fixtures ahead to test them, though, and Saturday’s game against East Thurrock United will present their first challenge.
Last Tuesday the Rocks beat Gloucester City 3-0 to end a barren run after they had made a strong start to the season. Former Wing, Reece Harris broke the deadlock just before the hour mark. Lee Burns and serial scorer Sam Higgins notched in a three minute spell to give them a comfortable last fifteen minutes.
That was followed up by a 3-1 Trophy victory over Evo Stick South West side Shortwood United. Higgins and Harris again both on target in the second half before Calvin Ekpiteta added the third. Shortwood scored a consolation goal from the penalty spot late on.
Having returned to Maidstone United early through injury, Harry Phipps has again been recruited on loan by Jamie Coyle and is expected to go straight into the starting eleven.
Former Dart Burns will be absent for East Thurrock through suspension but Welling have no such handicap and Coyle should have a full squad to call upon other than Pierre Joseph-Dubois with a long term injury.
In the corresponding fixture last season, Welling enjoyed a pretty comfortable 2-0 victory. Higgins had an early effort saved by Chris Lewington but that turned out to be the only stop he had to make.
Adam Coombes hit the underside of the bar but Welling failed to go ahead until just after the break when Coombes bundled home his 33rd goal of the season. The Wings then missed a host of chances but weren’t made to pay for them. Dan Walker finished the game off with three minutes remaining.
Picture supplied by Dave Budden.