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

Since their last league match, they have progressed in two tournaments. In both cases they let a two-goal lead slip before going on to win.

Against Havant and Waterlooville last Saturday, Ade Azeez scored a first half brace. After Havant had brought the scores back level, the Wings might have folded but Warren Feeney has built a side with physical and mental strength.

Taylor Maloney launched a fierce shot that came back off the bar and Stefan Payne was first to react, and his controlled header saw Welling through.

Then, on Tuesday, a Wings team made up of players returning from injury and suspension, fringe players, and some from the Under 23s entertained Sittingbourne in the Kent Senior Cup. Again, Welling burst into a two-goal lead with goals scored by Sam Bayford and a penalty from captain Cameron Andrews.

Once again, they got pegged back, but this time they couldn’t find a winner. This time they couldn’t find a winner and the game went to penalties with Welling prevailing five-four. Jay Simpson played the full ninety minutes, while Amadou Kassarate and Antony Papadopoulos each clocked up seventy.

Their visitors, Weymouth, are currently at the foot of the National League South, and they went out of the F.A. Trophy last Saturday at Worthing.

Although they scored first and last, in between they conceded four times. That was five days after their F.A. Cup run was ended in a replay at A.F.C Wimbledon.

Although they are the basement club at present, it is mainly due to a miserable start that brought about a management change with Bobby Wilkinson coming in. They won their last league match one-nil at home to Braintree Town. Should that not be enough to warn Welling not to underestimate the Dorset team, Feeney won’t need reminding that the Terras beat Welling three-nil in October to end their hopes of an F.A. Cup run.

Sid Nelson’s loan spell at Welling has now ended and he has returned to Woking. Sam Cox sustained a hamstring injury last Saturday and will be side-lined for a while but with Aaron Barnes now back to fitness, he will be keen to return and reclaim the shirt.

Picture supplied by Keith Gillard.