On Saturday, Welling United make their third trip to the West Country of 2025 when they play Weymouth in a Vanarama National League South match.

Last weekend, new look Welling defeated Weston-super-Mare four-one in Somerset. It looked as if it was going to be a long afternoon when the hosts went ahead in the second minute. However, the Wings held firm before starting to make chances of their own and scored twice, assisted by Dan Martin crosses. In the eighteenth minute, Dave Winfield headed his long awaited first goal for the club.

Ten minutes after levelling, the Wings went ahead when Finn Ballard-McBride marked his debut with a headed goal and Welling went in at half time in front. Eleven minutes into the second period two other debutants combined to increase Welling’s lead when Jayden Davis met Daniel Quick’s deep centre with a header that went inside the far post. Zain Walker wrapped it up five minutes from time with a composed finish from fifteen yards.

Buoyed by that success, Rod Stringer’s team were looking forward to hosting Hemel Hempstead Town on Tuesday night, but sadly, that game fell foul to heavy rain despite a small army of supporters spending several hours irrigating in an attempt to make the pitch playable. 

While Welling were kicking their heels, Weymouth were slumping to a two-nil defeat at Hampton and Richmond Borough, leaving them four points adrift at the foot of the table. The Terras appeared to be on their way to claiming a point until Hampton scored with nine minutes remaining. Defeat was guaranteed when the Beavers scored again in the last minute. 

It will be the return game between Welling and Weymouth this season as they met at Park View Road early in the new year. Riccardo Di Trolio put the Wings ahead in the eighth minute and Walker added a second midway through the second half. Jordon Thompson pulled one back with one minute remaining but it was no more than a consolation for the visitors. That was Welling’s first success in any game against the Dorset club in nine meetings.

At home, the Terras are yet to win this season having drawn six and lost eight. Welling have a poor record at Weymouth, though, and haven’t won there for over twenty years. When the Wings visited last season Ben Thomson slotted into an empty net following a defensive mix up to give the hosts a half time lead but Kain Adom levelled eight minutes after the restart and that was the end of the goalscoring.      

There is extra intrigue due to the fact that the Weymouth manager is Warren Feeney, a former Welling boss, but his friendship with members of the Welling board of directors will be forgotten during the ninety minutes of battle on the pitch.

Picture supplied by Dave Budden.