After two false starts, Welling will hope to get some points on the board on Saturday following their disappointing Boxing Day performance.
Since that day, they’ve had a game at Braintree Town postponed less than five hours before kick off. Then they visited Dover Athletic and played 68 minutes before the referee had no option but to abandon the match.
As a result of their poor league form and recent inactivity, they have dropped into the bottom three and are in need of getting back to winning ways.
At Dover, last Saturday, Welling looked to be returning to the form that saw them win four in a row earlier in the season but their struggle to score goals continued. Whilst their defensive record is one of the best in the bottom half of the table, they are the league’s lowest scorers.
Saturday’s game will present them with another challenge as the visitors are Grimsby Town who are in third place in the Vanarama National.
When the Mariners hosted Welling in November, they bacame the first club (so far the only club) to score three in a league game against the Wings thanks to an injury time break away goal by Jack Mackreth.
Sam Corne gave the Wings a surprise lead in the sixth minutte but it took less than 120 seconds for Nathan Arnold to equalise.
Conor Townsend fired a spectaculr free kick four minutes later to put Grimsby ahead. He will not be repeating the feat, however, as following his return to his parent club, Hull City, he has now been transferred to Scunthorpe United. Mackreth wrapped up the points for the Mariners in the dyeing embers of the game.
When the two sides met at Park View Road in March, referee David Rock was at the centre of some controversy. In the early minutes he over-ruled his better placed assistant who signalled a Welling penalty. Ollie Palmer made the Wings pay when he put the Mariners ahead in the 9th minute.
Shortly before half time he failed to award Welling a free kick for a foul on Ross Lafayette and Grimsby built an attack that ended when Shaun Pearson doubled their lead. Although Dominic Vose struck the bar for Welling in the second half, they were unable to claw their way back into the game.
Prior to being held to a one all draw at home to Guiseley last weekend, Grimsby had won six on the spin but Welling will still go into the game with positivity gained from their performance at the Crabble last weekend.
Wings’ manager Loui Fazakerley said “We’re creating chances and it’s just a matter of the boys keep believing and stay positive and the win’s not far away.”
There is still the possibility that there may be a new face or two to freshen up the team in time for Saturday’s match. “We’ve got a few options and a few targets in mind.” said Fazakerly. We’ve got to try and make them work and try and make them happen.”
Picture supplied by Dave Budden.