Despite atrocious weather conditions Chatham Town and Welling United played out an exciting Isthmian League Premier Division derby with Wings manager Ryan Maxwell pleased to see a great derby despite losing.

Maybe a draw would have been a fair result but it wasn’t to be as the Wings went down three-two. After the match, manager Ryan Maxwell said: “It was a great advert for a Kent derby. If there was any neutral here they would have loved the game. I know we deserved more than no points from the game. It was a very, very good game of football in terms of the battling side of things. The conditions demanded a battle. We had to battle today. We did that. So did they, but I think we created some great chances.”

“We had the best chance to make it one-nil, one v one to the new boy, Kevin (Rivera), it’s just that his touch was a bit long and we hit the bar as well, Lekan (Majoyegbe)’s header, and we’ve still scored two goals. They’ve had two deflected goals which was disappointing from my point of view. I need to see the other one because when the shot was struck he was offside and then he came back to score the goal so I need to check that as that sounds offside to me.”

“Anyway, it was an even game and we had the chances to win it as well. Could have gone either way but unfortunately it’s gone their way and not ours. Congratulations to Chatham. It was a great Kent derby that, on another day, we could have won.”

Looking back to the difference between when Maxwell started at Welling and how things are now, Maxwell said: “The DNA, everything’s changed at Welling. The team is so much better. The culture is so much better, and we’re obviously in a much better position in the league than we were when I came in, Things have changed. I expect them to battle but they didn’t quite get the rewards that maybe they deserved today, but that’s football. You don’t always get what you deserve.”

“On another day, maybe we’re Chatham and maybe we win the game. It was fifty-fifty. That’s why we love football. Today it hurts for the lads in there. They’re gutted in there but not too despondent as they know that it’s a marathon. Come away to Chatham today, they’re a very good side. They’ve got a lot going for them in a number of ways and it wasn’t an easy game but it was a very, very tight affair so I don’t have a lot of complaints. Their goals are deflections and maybe we’ve had the better chances other than the goals.”

Demaray Anyadike scored a wonder goal from over thirty yards for the Wings. “It was a great strike.” said Maxwell. “We had the wind with us at that point and he’s used it well. He’s struck it really well, it’s gone in off the bar. It was s brilliant goal. We probably needed more shots outside the box today.”

“We didn’t get enough of them off for whatever reason, but certainly we required some more shots. Not that I’m going to focus on it for too much as there’s a long, long way to go. We’re in a good position so take the positives from it and we’ll move on to Tuesday.”

Now Welling have two games at home where they still boast a one hundred percent league record. Maxwell said: “Everyone knows how strong we are at home. We want to pick up our away form. It’s our number one priority right now but it’s because our home form’s so exceptional. That’s why it stands out so much. Ultimately we want to improve upon that but we’re back at home for two consecutive games and I’m looking forward to both.”

Maxwell also wanted to give thanks to the Welling supporters. “They’re absolutely fantastic.” he purred. “Their belief, there in the bar, I’ve been chatting away to them. They’re loving being here as a Welling fan which delights me, Billy and Aaron, and the staff, and they’ve got a team that they can be proud of.”

“I thought they were fantastic. They huddled under that little stand. I don’t know how many was there. They sounded great. They sung all through the game. They were brilliant, really, really good support and I thank them there dearly.”

Striker Ade Azeez has gone out on loan to Herne Bay and has got off to a great start. Maxwell said: “He scored on his debut on Tuesday night. Delighted for him. He needs minutes, he needs nineties, and I believe that he scored again tonight.”

“Every forward needs confidence in terms of goal scoring. You can play well and not score and not feel ultra confident even though you’re making a valuable impact for the team. Ade needed to go out and get that confidence going in front of goal. That’s why he’s gone there and I’m glad that it’s going to plan so far.”

As for new signing Rivera, Maxwell added: “You saw today, he’s robust and he gets himself in for that one v one. He is robust. He’s got five goals already this season. He’s got an eye for a goal. He’s got energy, his tenacity, good appreciation around him and for a debut, I was quite pleased.”

“There’s a lot more to come. He’s only twenty-three years old. Very good player and I think he’ll settle in very well here. Kevin’s come here for the right reasons. He wants to be a successful football player and push himself in a different demanding environment. That’s why he came here.”

Last weekend two other new signings were on the Welling bench but neither featured at Chatham. When asked when they’re next likely to feature in the sixteen, Maxwell answered: “We’ll have to take stock after today’s game and see how everyone is. Today was a tactical one.”

“You could see the subs today, they were quite tactical. We had a plan, A, B, and C and they didn’t require two wingers to be involved. That was the bottom line and it nearly came off to perfection.”

After such a tough battle at Chatham in atrocious weather conditions, one or both may be required on Tuesday evening for the match against Leatherhead. “We’ve got some really good players in the squad and a good age as well.” he confirmed.

“There’s a lot of players in their mid-twenties, early twenties. I don’t see why they shouldn’t recover fine. We’ll make adjustments if we have to, elsewhere, and have a look at the squad and see how everyone feels tomorrow. The two guys didn’t make the squad today so they’re totally fresh to call up.”

Picture supplied by Steve Blunn.