Still searching for their first win of the season, Welling United entertain Chelmsford City in a National League South match behind closed doors at Park View Road on Saturday.

It will be their first home game of the season and their first league game on a natural surface. Having gone through a stop start season of only playing on alternative weekends they now have a three week spell of playing every Saturday and Tuesday.

Their three games so far have only yielded one point in a four all draw at Slough. Their matches at Maidstone United and Eastbourne Borough both ended in defeats by the odd goal in three.

Manager Brad Quinton hasn’t been able to play a settled side as he has been bringing in new players since the season started but although the jigsaw of his squad is not yet finished, he should now be able to work with what he has got.

Visitors Chelmsford City have won one of their five games so far but have only been beaten once. Their defeat was on the opening day by the only goal at Dartford and their victory was by a similar score at home to Maidstone United.

Their draws have been either goal-less or one-all, at home to Oxford City, away at Eastbourne Borough and also at Dulwich Hamlet. In five games, they have scored three and conceded three.

In Welling’s last outing they lost two-one at Eastbourne as their defence made two errors and got punished both times. They will have Daniel Boateng available again after he missed out with suspension last week and Kareem Isiaka and Kaleem Simon may be fit again having previously picked up injuries.

There was no meeting between the two clubs at Park View Road last season as they were due to meet on Good Friday but the season had been ended by then.

Earlier in the season, when Welling travelled to Essex the spoils were shared in a one all draw. Bradley Goldberg’s goal looked to have won the three points when scoring with six minutes remaining but substitute Shaun Jeffers scored a last minute equaliser.

Image courtesy of Dave Budden