Two teams with opposing short term ambitions meet when Folkestone Invicta host Welling United in an Isthmian League Premier match.

While the home team are marching towards the league title, and promotion to the National League South, the Wings are ensnared in a relegation dogfight. The two teams also had very different results last time out.

Jay Saunders’ Folkestone side had been suffering a mini blip, having gone four games without a win. However, they bounced back with a convincing four-nil victory at home to Wingate and Finchley. Donnell Thomas put them ahead in the first minute, and Jake Hutchinson added a second five minutes later. By midway through the first half, Adam Lovatt and Montel McKenzie had added their names to the score-sheet and they were able to cruise their way through the rest of the encounter.

That result left Folkestone fourteen points clear of second placed Aveley, although the Millers have played two games fewer. Chatham in third have played three games fewer and are sixteen points adrift.

Meanwhile, Welling hosted Hashtag United with confidence from four wins in seven games but produced arguably their worst performance of the season. Although it was goal-less at the break, two goals in six minutes after the restart proved too much for them to claw back.

Consequently, the Wings sit third from bottom, six points adrift of Wingate and Finchley. One point further ahead are Carshalton Athletic who have played two games.

Back in November, the two teams met at Park View Road and Folkestone secured the three points in a three-nil victory. Dean Rance gave them a half time lead before Mikey Berry and Joe Pigott were on target in the second period.

Two weeks later, a younger Invicta team visited Welling in the Velocity league cup and, this time, it was the Wings who prevailed. Josh Redfearn gave the hosts a half time lead but Oscar Weight levelled seven minutes into the second period. Redfearn restored the home team’s lead with quarter of an hour remaining and Aaron Williams-Bushell added a third in the closing stages.

Much has happened at Welling since those matches and Ryan Maxwell has come in as manager and overhauled the squad meaning that only three Wings players remain from those games. Saunders has been far less active in that respect although he has recently signed former Welling fans favourite Sonny Fish on loan from Torquay United.