Although Welling United completed an outstanding victory against Oxford City on Saturday, they will have little time to enjoy it as they are back in action again on Tuesday night.
They visit St. Albans City in another league game as they attempt to pull further away from the relegation zone.
One of Welling’s caretaker managers, Harry Wheeler, held the same role at St. Albans last season but was keen to express that it would have no bearing on this game. “I’m looking forward to going back. It will be an interesting game. It’s nothing personal. We want to win the game as much as we want to win any other game. There’s no special emphasis on it.”
When the two teams met at Park View Road in the third week of the season, St Albans left with a 1-0 victory. As seemed to be the case every week at that stage of the season, Welling went down to a penalty. Mitchell Nelson brought down Shaun Lucien and Junior Morais converted.
After Welling’s display against Oxford, their other caretaker manager, Tristan Lewis, confirmed that he is looking forward to the challenge. “They’ve got some fantastic players. It’s a big pitch and after the effort the players put in today, it’s going to be a test but after watching that second half (against Oxford) I don’t think we should fear anyone.
Once Welling had gone two up on Saturday, they took off captain Sean Francis. Lewis, confirmed “That was a bit of a precaution. He felt it a little bit at half time but with the game still touch and go, he put in a proper captain’s performance. I don’t think his hamstring’s gone but he just felt it’s a bit tight and we’ll see how he reacts.”
Danny Waldren, who was man of the match on Saturday, had been a doubt in the morning following an injury at work on Friday. He expects that he, Francis and Rickie Hayles who has had injury problems of his own, would all be ready. “We’re warriors.” he said.
Having lost just one in ten league and cup games, confidence is high at Park View Road, however St. Albans are just two points outside the play off zone and had it not been for a surprise 3-2 defeat at Concord Rangers on Saturday, they would now be sitting in fifth place in the table.
At home, they have won eight, drawn two and lost two but their last home win was on 3rd December and Oxford City completed the double over them in the back to back festive season fixtures and they have not recorded a victory in their last six matches.
Both teams will be keen to claim the points for their own reasons so it should be a tight encounter.
Picture supplied by Dave Budden.