Having entertained St. Albans City in the Vanarama National League South less than a month ago, Welling United again host the Hertfordshire side on Saturday.
This time they meet in the final qualifying round of the F.A. Trophy. Players from both teams will know that this is the last opportunity this season for a run in a knock-out trophy other than county cups.
Until last weekend Welling were going through a tough spell in the league having picked up just two points in five games and failing to score in any of them. However, last Saturday they ended that drought in style with a six-two victory over Braintree Town.
So potent were the Wings that they could have scored three before they went ahead in the seventh minute through Theo Widdrington’s first Welling goal. Three goals in eight minutes from the twentieth minute, two from Korrey Henry and a free kick by Anthony Cook all but put the game to bed.
Braintree pulled one back but Henry completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot early in the second half. They were then hampered when Sanchez Ming got himself sent off. Braintree pulled another one back but Welling made it six in the closing minutes when Aaron Cosgrave went on a long run out of defence before finding Henry and he fired home his fourth.
Ming’s dismissal means that he will have to sit the game out and Ejiro Okosieme may also miss the game through injury having been withdrawn at half time. Whether any of the other walking wounded players are fit to return remains to be seen.
Ian Allison’s St. Albans team have been going through a bad trot as well. They have lost six out of their last seven games, their one victory being in the recent meeting between the two clubs.
In that game chances were at a real premium for both sides. Zane Banton had a shot saved by Dan Wilks early on but the only goal, taken well, by Albert Adu shortly before half time was the only other shot on target by either side.
One header off target each was all the goalmouth action that either side could muster in the second half as the two defences held sway.