On Boxing Day, Welling United entertain Dartford in part one of their festive season Vanarama National League South derby double header.

Both teams will be looking for a reaction following disappointing results on Saturday. Danny Bloor’s Welling team fell to a crushing defeat at Bath City, conceding two goals in each half. Meanwhile, the Darts crashed three-nil at home to St. Albans City. In their game there was little to choose between the two teams for the first seventy minutes before the Saints went ahead through a Shaun Jeffers goal. Alan Dowson’s team conceded a second goal four minutes later and a third in injury time. 

Following those results, each club is in a difficult situation at the wrong end of the table. The Darts have a four point buffer from the bottom four. However, Welling are in a worse position and are five points adrift of safety.

Although this is the two teams’ first meeting in the league this season, they have played each other in the F.A. Cup and it was Welling who progressed at Princes Park. Lewis Manor put Dartford ahead in the eighteenth minute but Antony Papadopoulos equalised just before half time.

Manor restored the Darts’ lead seven minutes after the break but Papadopoulos again levelled ten minutes later before completing his hat-trick with the winner with just under quarter of an hour remaining.

At home, Welling’s league form this season is better than away having won three, drawn four and lost four, while away from home Dartford have won three, drawn one and lost six.

When the two teams met at Park View Road in February for last season’s corresponding game, the points were shared. George Alexander, who is now at Dartford, opened the scoring for Welling just before half time only for former Wing Charlie Sheringham to level after seven minutes of the second half.

Ade Azeez put Welling back ahead six minutes later, notching against his former club, but Malachi Napa notched Dartford’s second equaliser with seven minutes remaining.

League form tends to go out of the window in local derbies but with both teams having lost their last two matches, the respective managers will be spending Christmas Day considering their team selections and trying to plot their way to claim the bragging rights.

Image courtesy of Dave Budden