On Saturday Welling United are in Isthmian League Premier Division action when they visit St. Albans City.

Last season, they also met at Clarence Park on the third Saturday in October, however, on that occasion they were battling for points in the National League South before both teams were relegated at the end of the season. 

Rod Stringer was manager of the Wings on that day, and will be in the dugout on Saturday. but there have been two other managers since then. He is now back as interim manager while the Welling board decide on what happens next. He oversaw a feisty game at Ramsgate on Tuesday evening.

Joe Taylor put Ramsgate ahead in the nineteenth minute but John Ufuah equalised a minute later and the two teams went in at the break level. Logan Dobbs put Welling ahead just before the hour mark and Ramsgate were reduced to ten men soon after when Tom Clifford was dismissed. Three minutes later Dobbs and the Rams’ Jermome Binnom-Williams were also sent off before the ten man Wings saw the game out. 

Meanwhile, St. Albans were in FA Cup action with a replay against Banbury United following their one-all draw away on Saturday. There were no goals in the initial ninety minutes however, Leo Sery’s extra time goal saw the Saints through to the First Round without having to go through the stress of a penalty shoot-out.

In their last league game, they beat Lewes at home three-nil through second half goals by Jason Mather, Zane Banton and Haziz Kone. They are in fourteenth place in the table with twelve points in nine games, three points ahead of Welling having played two games fewer.

Tom Leahy played his first game for three and a half weeks on Tuesday night and Stringer will be hoping that there has been no adverse reaction. He will also be monitoring the fitness of TQ Addy and Scott Simmons who were both unavailable through injury.

However, Jack Paxman will be available for selection following his one match ban. Dobbs will be expected to start as his suspension does not commence until next Tuesday.

When St. Albans and Welling met at Clarence Park last season, Anointed Chukwu scored the only goal in the fifteenth minute to give the Wings a good away win. Only two players from that St. Albans sixteen were in the squad for their most recent league game, however, nobody from Welling’s team from that day remain at Park View Road.

The Saints squad does have Alex Dyer and Jamal Fyfield that some Welling supporters may remember from their spells at Welling. 

Picture supplied by Kieran North.