On Saturday Welling United entertain Havant and Waterlooville at the J Hearnden Skip Hire Community Stadium in a Vanarama National League South match.

After four games, Danny Bloor’s Wings are yet to claim their first point under his stewardship. However, it could have been very different. In their first game, away to Truro, they were beaten by half time but after that they could, or maybe should, have got something out of all three of the other games. 

At home to Hemel Hempstead Town, the game appeared to be drifting towards a nil-nil until the visitors were awarded a very fortunate penalty which they converted late in the game. They then hosted Chelmsford City.

failed to score a penalty, they went behind on the half hour mark. When Kain Adom levelled, with seven minutes remaining, it appeared that they were going to claim a point which was the least that they deserved. That all changed when they conceded in the ninth minute of stoppage time having thrown players forward looking for a winner from a corner.

Then, on Saturday, they travelled to Taunton and having gone behind to the only shot that the hosts had on target, they bossed the next eighty minutes. Again they failed to make the most of an opportunity from the spot, they also hit the bar, and the Peacocks’ goalkeeper was man of the match for his two outstanding saves.

Despite all of that, Bloor knows that Welling need to pick up points quickly or they are in danger of being cut adrift. Saturday’s visitors Havant haven’t had the best of starts either.

They lost their first three matches, away to Weston-super-Mare, at home to St. Albans City, and at home to Chippenham Town. The losing run was halted at Chelmsford. Muhammadu Faal put the Hawks ahead in first half stoppage time but former Wing Mo Bettamer ensured that the spoils were shared with ten minutes remaining.

Bloor will be without TJ Bramble and Amadou Kassarate through suspension, and it’s unlikely that Mitch Dickenson and Crossley Lema will be fit to return but he was given a boost by the return of Lewis White in the second half at Taunton.

When the Hawks visited Welling last season, the visitors were flying high but the two teams played out an entertaining two-all draw. Ade Azeez put the Wings ahead before a Jamie Sendles-White own goal brought the scores level. Taylor Maloney restored Welling’s lead six minutes before half and they held the lead until Jason Prior equalised with four minutes remaining.

Images courtesy of Dave Budden