Defeat at Maidstone United ended Welling United’s good run of results and manager Bradley Quinton will be looking for a quick response when they entertain Billericay Town.
Jamie O’Hara will have his own ambitions for his Billericay team who come into the game on the back of a come from behind derby win against Braintree Town. They were due to follow that up with another game against Essex opponents, Concord Rangers, on Tuesday night but that fell foul of the weather.
They have not had a lot of luck with hosting home games and have played three fewer than the number of away games they have contested. Their away record is not great having won just two, drawn six and lost nine.
O’Hara has boosted his striking options with by signing two forwards on loan. Joe Quigley has come in from Dagenham and Redbridge and Connor Shields from Aldershot Town.
Quinton has been hampered by sickness in the ranks in the last month or so with Rob Swaine and Phil Roberts both having returned from a bug but Nathan Green and new signing Daniel Boateng both absent last week through illness.
They should both be back in contention for the Billericay game although Chiori Johnson’s ankle may make him a doubt. It may also be a week or two early for Romoney Crichlow-Noble so Boateng may be in line for a debut.
Players competing against their former clubs could include Billericay’s Michael Chambers and Welling’s Adam Coombes, Green and Swaine.
When the two teams met earlier in the season, Billericay profited from a controversial winner. Jordan Parkes put the Blues ahead but Gavin McCallum levelled before the interval.
It looked like the game was going to finish level, which would have probably been a fair result, until injury time when Moses Emmanuel was tumbled outside the area. To everyone’s surprise, a penalty was awarded and Jake Robinson took full advantage and netted from the spot.
Last season, Billericay claimed all six points in the two fixtures between the clubs so Welling will be keen to avoid a second double.
Picture supplied by Dave Budden.