Leg one of the festive season ‘derby’ between Margate and Welling United was completed on Boxing Day.

Now it is Margate’s turn to pass  Gravesend and travel through Dartford on their way to the New Year’s Day game at Welling’s Park View Road.

Further questions might be asked on why every league in the two tiers below are playing on Saturday, New Year’s Eve, allowing players and supporters the opportunity to see in 2017. but the Vanarama National League clubs are scheduled to play on the day after.

Nikki Bull’s Margate team were a match for Welling for the first half an hour and it took a brilliant save by Chris Lewington from Daniel Akindayini to stop the south coast side from going ahead.

However, just as Bull’s team appeared to be heading into the break on level terms, Tommy Cooney mistimed a challenge on Christian Nanetti in the penalty area and Adam Coombes stepped up to slot home the spot kick.

Nanetti crowned an excellent display by putting Welling two up and only Valery Pajetat stopped Welling from adding further goals, one save from Coombes being an absolute stunner.

Coombes was not to be denied, however, and having dispossessed Brett Johnson, he gave Pajetat no chance with a fierce drive for his ninth goal in four straight December victories.

Cooney and Alex Henshall made their Gate debuts however their other new signing, Oneil Odofin, was an unused substitute but may get a start on Sunday.

Nathan Fox will not be involved, however, as he has returned to Brentford following the end of his loan. Other players to have left the club this week are Cameron Heffernan and Jermaine Osei whilst Harry Phipps has departed for Maidstone United.

However, they do have a new recruit in Ira Jackson who has signed on loan from Dover Athletic. He has previously played for Whitstable Town, Ramsgate and Worthing before having a spell at Millwall last season.

Also leaving is first team coach, Paul Barnes, who held a similar position at Welling when Loui Fazakerley was in charge.

Jamie Day, the Wings manager, will have one change forced upon them. Former Margate goalkeeper, Lewington, is expected to be missing from the Welling line up having limped off at the end of the game at Hartsdown Park. Day confirmed “He pulled the same muscle that he pulled before (at Hungerford). That was three weeks and he thinks it’s worse than that.”

Harry Girling has now come back from Millwall for a second loan period, a move that should benefit all concerned.

He was also at pains to say that the return fixture is no foregone conclusion. “If you underestimate them and you don’t give them the respect that they deserve, you get beaten. You can’t turn up thinking your just going to win. You have to put the effort in, you have to put the work rate in.”