Welling United will enjoy playing in front of a bumper crowd on Saturday when they entertain Luton Town at Park View Road.
Although disappointed not to have claimed the Skrill Premier title when losing at home Braintree Town last Saturday, the Hatters claimed the crown on Tuesday evening. Cambridge United were the only team who could have caught them but they crashed at Kidderminster ensuring Luton’s five year football league exile will come to an end.
It will be the second year running that Fraser Franks has celebrated a league championship title at Park View Road. Last season he was a Welling United player when Salisbury City lost at Sutton United ensuring the Wings won the Conference South Championship. Now a Hatter, having been transferred during the January transfer window, he will repeat the feat on Saturday.
Luton have sold their allocation of 2,000 tickets but Welling will be keen to ‘rain on their parade’ and end their run of two successive defeats in which they have failed to score.
Wings’ manager Jamie Day will have Jake Gallagher available again after a three match ban and may also have Basile Karagiannis back in contention. Kurtis Guthrie’s back injury will keep him on the sidelines whilst Alfie Mawson’s availability is questionable.
This will be Luton Town’s second visit to Park View Road this season. Welling were the victors when they met in the F.A. Cup. First half goals from Lee Clarke and Joe Healy put the Wings in command and although Paul Benson pulled one back with more than half an hour remaining, Welling held on to progress to the second round.
The scoreline was reversed when the two teams met in the league fixture at Kenilworth Road two weeks later. Andre Gray gave the Hatters a half time lead, but Alex Dyer scored a deserved equaliser just after the break. Gray restored Luton’s lead while Welling were temporarily down to ten men, awaiting the introduction of a replacement for the injured Loui Fazakerley, and they held on comfortably for the final eleven minutes.
Pictures supplied by Dave Budden.