There will be a big challenge for Welling United when they entertain Vanarama National League South leaders Yeovil Town at the J. Hearnden Skip Hire Community Stadium.
On Tuesday evening Welling saw off Taunton Town in the F.A. Trophy but they didn’t make it easy for themselves. Twice they lead through Kain Adom and a Tristan Abrahams penalty, but on both occasions the Peacocks levelled and a penalty shoot out was required. After eight penalties apiece, the score was seven all. Javarn Pitterson then made an excellent save leaving Rob Howard the responsibility of winning it, which he did confidently.
Saturday’s guests, Yeovil, are in tremendous form, nine points clear at the top of the table. They had won ten league games on the spin before being held to a draw at Chippenham Town on Tuesday night. They are also still in the F.A. Cup having beaten National League Gateshead in the First Round.
Eleven of their eighteen league games have been at home, where they remain unbeaten. On the road, they have won four, drawn one and lost two.Hemel Hempstead Town and Havant and Waterlooville are the two teams to have defeated them, both back in August.
Danny Bloor, the Welling manager, has brought in defensive reinforcements on short term deals as his team has struggled since Jack Burchell sustained an injury. Howard has returned to the club since leaving in the summer to sign for Bishop’s Stortford. Nico Jones has also joined having been a free agent since being released by Brentford in June.
Although there has been no league meeting between the two clubs since the 1999/2000 season they did meet in the F.A. Trophy in Somerset in 2019. On that afternoon Courtney Duffus scored a brace for the Glovers either side of Chris Dagnall’s goal. Rob Swaine scored a consolation goal for Welling with four minutes remaining.
Both teams will need to win for very different reasons. Yeovil want the three points to maintain or increase their buffer at the top while Welling require points to clamber out of the bottom four.
Picture supplied by Dave Budden.