After two Vanarama National League South defeats in a week, Welling United will look to return to winning ways when they entertain Eastbourne Borough on Saturday.
They have only won one league match, and a London Senior Cup tie, in their last nine encounters so they will be looking for a change of fortune quickly.
On Tuesday evening a tight match at Worthing, which could have gone either way, went in favour of the hosts. Such are the fine margins in games like this that everything hinged on two incidents twenty minutes from the end. Welling got into a great position but didn’t take advantage before Worthing went straight up to the other end and former Maidstone United striker, Mo Faal, scored the only goal.
Full time Eastbourne Borough have dropped outside the play off zone on goal difference having picked up one point out of their last six available, along with being knocked out of the F.A. Cup at home to Boreham Wood.
Their last outing was at Chelmsford City where they were beaten four-two. It was a disastrous first half for the Sports who were three down at the break. It got even worse for them when ex Tonbridge Angels striker, Jordan Greenidge, scored his second six minutes after the break. Midway through the second half, two former Wings combined to pull one back when Alfie Pavey headed across goal for Dominic Odusanya to bundle home. The latter scored again with three minutes remaining but it was too little too late.
Away from home in the league, Eastbourne have won three and lost two with their three successes all being by the only goal. Like Welling, the Sports have found goalscoring difficult and have only scored more than once on three occasions out of eleven, and have failed to score more than twice in any match. However, other than at Chelmsford, they have not conceded more than two in any game.
When the two teams met at Park View Road last December, it was the team from Sussex who claimed the three points. Having had the better of the first half the Wings went behind three minutes before the break with a goal scored by Freddie Carter. Eight minutes after the restart, Callum Kealy added a second and the outcome was never in doubt after that.
Harvey and Zane Walker, along with TJ Bramble and Ben Wells, remain unfit to play. Teddy Perkins remains questionable and reserve goalkeeper Javarn Pitterson is still a doubt. However the other members of the squad should be fit to play giving manager Rod Stringer, and assistant Kevin Watson, options to find the winning formula.
Picture supplied by Dave Budden.