On Saturday afternoon, Welling United return to Vanarama National League South action when they host Eastbourne Borough.

This has been Welling’s first week without a midweek game for a while and manager Danny Bloor will be pleased that players carrying knocks will have had a rest from competitive action. 

Last Saturday they had a tough F.A. Trophy match with National League North club Brackley Town. They went behind early on but levelled in first half stoppage time through a great strike from a free kick by Tristan Abrahams.

There were no goals in the second period and the match went to penalties. Although, Welling missed their first penalty, they scored their next four while Brackley twice struck the post. 

Like Welling, the Sports are rebuilding. They have gone full-time and are taking a while to settle down. They have only won once in ten league and cup games, at home to Braintree Town, and were beaten at Hendon in the F.A. Trophy. 

They were two-one down at home to Taunton Town last Saturday when fog descended and the game was abandoned. Their last completed match was a four-one defeat at home to Torquay United.

When the two teams met at Park View Road in April, Welling claimed the win through an eighteenth minute goal by Christie Pattisson.

The Borough team that day included Lee Worgan, Mitchell Dickenson and James Vaughan with Jack Burchell on the bench. Danny Bloor was their manager.

Since then, Bloor has moved to Welling, along with his management team. Those four players were signed by him for the Wings although Worgan and Vaughan have since moved on, and Dickenson and Burchell are injured. 

Bloor played down any suggestion that there was extra significance in the game. He said: “It’s just a game. I need to get three points. You don’t get double because it’s Eastbourne.”

“They’re below us in the league on goal difference. Of course I want to beat Eastbourne. I want to beat Dartford. I want to beat everyone.”

Picture supplied by Dave Budden.