On Boxing Day, Welling United entertain Chelmsford City in the Vanarama National League South.

Rod Stringer’s team will be looking to return to winning ways after their four game unbeaten run was ended at Salisbury on Saturday. Although the club from Wiltshire had the strong wind in their favour in the first half, they created very little but still finished the half a goal to the good.

After the break, Welling laid siege to the Whites’ goal and Martell Taylor-Crossdale, TJ Bramble, Zain Walker and Josh Redfearn all had chances before a Sam Cornish corner was tipped onto the bar and over. Against the run of play, Salisbury went two up before the Wings responded with a Gene Kennedy penalty after Theo Alexandrou was felled in the area. As Welling threw men forward they got caught out and ended going down to a three-one defeat.

Meanwhile, Chelmsford were held to a goal-less draw at home to Warren Feeney’s Weymouth. Although disappointed not to win against the team at the foot of the table, the Clarets did record their first clean sheet for three months.

They are sixteenth in the league, two points above the Wings having played a game fewer. Away from home, they have won just twice and have drawn four and lost four. Welling, at home, have won five, drawn one, and lost five. It will be the first meeting between the two teams this season.

When Welling hosted Chelmsford in August 2023, the two teams cancelled each other out until just after the hour mark when Charlie Ruff put the visitors ahead. Kain Adom levelled with seven minutes remaining before both teams had a player sent off. Welling’s Amadou Kassarate was shown a second yellow card for dissent.

Frankie Terry soon followed him down the tunnel when he was dismissed after committing an awful challenge on Jephte Tanga. When the Wings won a corner in the eighth minute of stoppage time, they went ‘all or nothing’ and ended up with the latter as Chelmsford broke away for Josh Castiglione to fire home.

Stringer will enjoy crossing swords with a club that he managed for nearly four years. Although he will be without the injured Harvey Walker and Elliott Long, Chiori Johnson and Dan Martin are recovering well and, even if not ready to start, should be able to play some part in the Wings’ last match in 2024. 

Images courtesy of Dave Budden