On Saturday Welling United entertain St. Albans City at the J Hearnden Skip Hire Community Stadium in a Vanarama National League South match.
They go into the game after a Bank Holiday weekend in which they claimed their first home win, first away win, and first clean sheet of the season. Manager Danny Bloor was delighted and said “We’ve always had the faith. Being honest we should have more points really, Other than that debacle at Truro, we can put that down to a number of things, we’ve been good. If we’d scored a couple of penalties we would have got more points.”
Having beaten Havant and Waterlooville on Saturday, they claimed an excellent only goal win at Tonbridge Angels two days later. “I thought that in the first half we played some very good football but in the second half we defended like men.” Bloor continued. “Ben Winterbottom had his best game by a country mile. Tonbridge is a really difficult place to come to. I don’t think I’ve ever won here as a manager before and I thought that we were worthy winners to be honest with you.”
Although the six points have started to ease the Wings up the table. Bloor isn’t resting. He had a striker lined up before the Havant game, but that move fell through at the eleventh hour. He said “It’s no secret. We’re looking to add players. We’re always looking to improve. We’re looking to evolve. What’s been pretty evident to me is that we’ve got a group of human beings who care about the club.”
Bloor celebrated the victory with the supporters after the game and was full of praise for them, saying “What’s also good is the fans. We lost four games on the bounce. People can see what we’re trying to do. Rome wasn’t built in a day but I think we’re getting there in a nice manner.”
While Welling were having a successful weekend, their next visitors, St Albans, were suffering defeats at Taunton Town and at home to Bath City. Like Welling they have now won two and lost four. Bloor knows it will not be easy. He questioned “Name me an easy game. What is an easy game? I don’t know one.
“You might have thought Aveley, but Aveley are one of the best teams I’ve seen. If you’re not right, you could lose any game in this league and certainly we were right (against Tonbridge) and I couldn’t be more proud of the whole club.”
In the corresponding game last season, the Saints cruised to a three-nil victory. Welling’s nemesis Shaun Jeffers opened the scoring on the half hour mark and Zane Banton added a second just before half time. Jeffers put the icing on the cake with a third with almost the last kick of the match.
Although the players who have been injured probably won’t be available, TJ Bramble has completed his suspension, and should Bloor be able to bring in another player, he will have some difficult selection decisions to make.
Images courtesy of Dave Budden