Park View Road hosts an all Kent F.A. Trophy game on Saturday as Welling United entertain Hythe Town.
Both teams will go into the game fancying their chances. Hosts Welling should be favourites as they are playing two leagues above however Hythe are having a good season and have qualified to this stage courtesy of a victory over another Vanarama National South club.
Cup football has been good for both teams. Welling have struggled a little in the league but enjoyed victories over Whyteleafe 2-0 and Swindon Supermarine 7-1 in the F.A. Cup before losing 1-0 in the 4th qualifying round.
They have seen of Chatham Town 6-1 and Dartford on penalties in the Kent Senior Cup, Erith Town 7-2 in the London Senior Cup and Concord Rangers 1-0 in the Trophy.
Cup results for Hythe have been just as impressive. In the F.A. Cup they beat Sittingbourne 5-0 in a replay and Leatherhead 1-0 before being knocked out by Walton Casuals.
Their Trophy run has seen them beat Haringey Borough 2-1, Walton Casuals 3-2 (to avenge their F.A. Cup defeat), Merstham 3-0 and most impressively Bishop’s Stortford 4-2. They also stretched Gillingham in the Kent Senior Cup but lost 3-2 after having a last minute penalty saved.
Jamie Day, manager of Welling, is experienced enough to know that they could easily come a cropper if their attitude isn’t right.
“We’re at home and we’re against a team that’s below us but we know they’re a good side and they’ve got some good players. If we don’t turn up and we don’t show what we have done, we’ll get beat. It’s as simple as that.
“We will be expected to win but we know that it’s a tough game and we’ll treat it like we’re playing in a league game and we’ll go into it trying to win a game.“
He added to his squad this week, signing Trey Williams from Fisher Athletic, and the young hot-shot may come into contention on Saturday.
While Welling come into the game on the back of a 3-1 league win over Bath City last Saturday, Hythe slammed Lewes 4-0 on Tuesday so both teams will be bursting with confidence and a good game is anticipated.
Picture supplied by Dave Budden.