Following a rare away game on Saturday, Welling United are back at the J. Hearnden Skip Hire Community Stadium when they host Truro City.

Their stunning victory against second placed Worthing last Tuesday evening was followed by a well deserved point at fifth placed St. Albans City. Although they have played more games than the clubs immediately above them, they remain just one point short of the safety zone.

Rod Stringer and Kevin Watson, the Welling manager and assistant, are rebuilding the squad as they go and are assembling a unit that are doing all that they can to climb the table.

At St. Albans on Saturday, they went ahead just after the midway point of the first half. Former Wing Ryan Blackman headed Cameron Green’s free kick into his own net. However, a minute later, Shaun Jeffers added to his current hot streak to equalise. 

It has been a difficult time for visitors Truro City. They struggled to host games at Plymouth Parkway so have moved even further from their home county, to a temporary base at Taunton Town. Unfortunately they have had similar problems there and have only played three home games since the start of December. 

Their last game was last Tuesday when they visited Bath City. Cody Cooke converted from the penalty spot to give the hosts a first half lead. Just past the hour mark, Tom Smith added a second and Conor Riley-Lowe’s injury time goal was no more than a consolation for the Cornish team.

When the two teams met at Truro’s Plymouth home on the opening day of the season, the contest was well over by half time. An extraordinary start saw Truro three up in twenty minutes through goals by Rocky Neal, Ed Palmer and Adam Porter.

Green pulled one back before the half hour mark, but Porter scored again five minutes before the break and Tyler Harvey added a fifth in first half stoppage time. There was no further scoring until three minutes from time when Antony Papadopoulos converted from the penalty spot for the Wings.

Games between Welling and Truro have been high scoring affairs at Park View Road. In their first meeting in 2013, the Wings won four-three after being three-one down at the break. In 2017, when they next clashed in DA16, Welling won three-two, and the following season, they drew two all.

Then, in 2019, Truro’s last season in the Conference South/National League South before relegation, Welling won five-three. Bradley Goldberg put the Wings ahead from the spot early on then two goals in three minutes, scored by Craig Braham-Barrett and Matt Patterson, put them in command by half time.

Danny Mills added a fourth a minute after the break, before Harvey pulled one back two minutes later. Mills scored again, but Harvey responded with twenty minutes remaining. Nick Hurst pulled another back with eight minutes remaining and Welling had to see out a nervy final few minutes before claiming the three points. 

New signing, Osman Foyo, came on in the closing stages of the game at St Albans and the Ipswich Town loanee might make his full Welling debut against Truro to cover for Anthony Grant who serves a one match ban.

Picture supplied by Dave Budden.