Easter Monday brings Eastbourne Borough to Welling United’s Park View Road for a Vanarama National league South fixture that’s important to both teams for different reasons.

While the Warren Feeney’s Wings are looking for points to keep them clear of relegation danger, the Sports have ambitions at the other end of the table where they are one point outside the play-off places.

On Good Friday, Danny Bloor’s team showed their capabilities by beating Dartford two-one despite being behind at half time through a goal by former Wing, Harvey Bradbury. Two goals in three minutes, early in the second period, turned the game on its head. Leone Gravata levelled then Ollie Pearce scored with a shot that went in off the far post.

Meanwhile, Welling were playing out a dour goal-less draw at Dover Athletic after which Warren Feeney said “Away from home, it’s a point. They’re on the back of a great win. It’s a clean sheet but we’ve got to get it right at the other end. Over the last few weeks we’ve only been beaten by the odd goal. We’ve had clean sheets but as I said to you, we’ve got to get it right at the other end of the pitch and we’ll certainly work on it.

“Once we got into wide areas today, the cross ball, the final ball, was always into the keeper’s hands. We’ve done a wee bit of crossing and finishing this week but you can take a horse to water but you can’t make him drink it. We’ll keep working on it and, hopefully, we’ll put it right.”

Kai McKenzie-Lyle was the busier of the two goalkeepers having returned from his international call up for Guyana, keeping clean sheets in both of their games. “Kai is a good keeper.” continued Feeney.

“He’s honest. He made some great saves today, which he’s paid to do.”

It was a patched up Welling team with several players not fully fit. Daniel Nkrumah returned on-loan for his second Wings debut and played the first fifty-one minutes.

“He’s got to get back to fitness but Leyton Orient have been brilliant with us.” confirmed Feeney.

“It’ll do the kid good but we’ve got to get him right. We’ve got to get him fit.

“The boys are honest. There’s makeshift in there. (Aaron Barnes) Barnsey’s filled in at left back for us and done a great job today. Medy (Elito) is off the (treatment) table. He’s only had forty-five minutes.”

He continued “Dunney missed last week. Dunney’s probably playing 70 to 80 per cent because he’s trying but he’s been very consistent since January and he wants to play which is the big thing. He wants to help. He’s the leader.”

Chi Ezennolim was missing, but Feeney hopes to have him back for the Eastbourne game “He’s had an injury. He’s had a little bit of a hammy which we’ve got to keep an eye on but fingers crossed we can get him ready for Monday.” he said. However, Taylor Maloney is not expected to feature.

“Taylor could be a little while with his hamstring.”

When Welling visited Eastbourne back in September, they ground out a one-nil victory courtesy of a goal by Stefan Payne. However, last season’s corresponding fixture at Park View Road did not finish well for the Wings.

QPR loanee Charley Kendall put the Sports ahead just before the hour mark and Dominic Hutchinson ensured that they would take home the spoils with a last minute goal.

Picture supplied by Michael Brown.