On Saturday, Welling United entertain St Albans City in another tough Vanarama National League South fixture.

After a difficult end to 2021, Peter Taylor’s Wings bounced back with a superb victory at promotion challenging Dulwich Hamlet in front of a sell-out crowd. Although it was a one-nil scoreline in favour of Welling they created more chances than in probably any other match this season. On top of Dipo Akinyemi’s goal, they hit the frame of the goal twice and had other good opportunities. It could easily have ended three or four nil.

They will have another challenge on Saturday. Although St Albans are tenth in the league, they have four games in hand over league leaders Maidstone United. However, Ian Allinson’s team were involved in a surprise result of their own last time out. 

2759 spectators crammed into Clarence Park to see them entertain hot and cold Hemel Hempstead Town and it was one of the Tudors hot days. They went ahead in the sixth minute and added a second eight minutes before the interval. Although Shaun Jeffers pulled one back in first half injury time Hemel scored again twenty minutes into the second half and saw the match out.  

When Welling visited St Albans earlier this season they had a torrid time and the contest was over after twelve minutes. Jeffers scored a hat-trick in the third, seventh, and twelfth minutes. Then in the second half Romeo Akinola added a brace as the Saints completed a five-nil trouncing. 

It will be the first time that Welling have played the same team home and away in the league since the 2019-20 season due to Covid-19. Last term they met just once with the game played at Park View Road. That was also a good day for the Saints and for Jeffers as he scored both goals in a two-nil win.

What has become apparent is that in this league almost anyone can beat anyone so Taylor and Allinson will demand that their respective teams are on top of their games. 

Picture supplied by Dave Budden.