On Tuesday, Welling United are back in Vanarama National Premier action when hosting league leaders Forest Green Rovers.

Both teams come into the fixture on the back of F.A. Cup first round victories.

Elliott Frear’s injury time winner for the Greens saw them claim a league scalp at AFC Wimbledon. The visitors went ahead in the eighth minute through Darren Carter, but Callum Kennedy equalised sixteen minutes later.

The game looked as though it was going to be decided on a replay until Frear intervened three minutes into stoppage time. A trip to Oxford United or Braintree Town awaits them.

Meanwhile, Welling had a difficult tie of their own to navigate, albeit in very different circumstances. Visiting Barwell, a village in Leicestershire, they had to see beyond the razzmatazz of the hosts first ever F.A. Cup game beyond the qualifying rounds.

Driving rain and wind was replaced with bright sunshine on a bumpy pitch, but the management team were in no mood to accept any excuses and got the professional performance they demanded.

Although Barwell pressed hard, the back four were superb and Michael McEntegart in goal was given a fairly easy ninety minutes. Goals from George Porter and Michael Bakare saw the Wings through and a home tie with League Two club, Carlisle United was their reward.

There has already been one league meeting between the two clubs this season. Welling visited the New Lawn during the opening week of the season, and the Rovers claimed the spoils with a 1-0 victory.

Aaron O’Connor claimed the only goal of the game with a shot that took a huge deflection to leave Tom King stranded.

Extra spice is added to the game by Forest Green being managed by former Wings managers Ady Pennock and Jamie Day. Former Wings are included in their playing squad too, with Kurtis Guthrie and Tom Bender.

In the corresponding fixture last season, the points were shared in a 1-1 draw with James Norwood scoring at both ends, first an own goal putting Welling ahead, then equalising in first half injury time.

Wings’ manager Loui Fazakerley will look at the cup run to build momentum, rather than as a distraction, but will be without Sam Corne who will serve a one match ban following his fifth booking of the season at Barwell on Saturday.

Fazakerley said “It’s no secret that it’s going be a tough game but we are at home and we’re going to go into  the game on the back of a superb morale boosting win so we’re confident.”

Before the match, a minute’s silence will be held in memory of club director George Evans who passed away last week. Tributes have poured in on social media from club officials, supporters, management and players both past and present.

Picture supplied by Dave Budden.