Tough games are coming thick and fast for Welling as they play their third consecutive anticipated promotion challengers on Saturday.

Following a hard earned but deserved draw at Havant and Waterlooville and a well merited victory over Maidstone United, they entertain Bath City on Saturday. Like Welling, the Romans progressed to the play-offs last season and have ambitions to go one better this time around.

Both teams have started with similar records and have recorded a win and a draw each. Jerry Gill’s team opened the season with a two-nil victory over Braintree Town before travelling to Weymouth where they drew one all. By virtue of scoring one more goal than Welling, the Romans are higher in the very early league table.

Mark Goldberg, Welling’s manager, is well aware that it is very early in the season and doesn’t want to get too far ahead of himself but he is pleased with how things have gone so far and has the boost that two, maybe three, injured players will be available for selection. Jack Jebb and Joshua Oyinsan will be back, and Gavin McCallum may also be able to be considered.

It wasn’t long ago that Bath last visited Welling as they played at Park View Road in April. Having won two-nil at Twerton Park earlier in the season, Welling completed the double with a hard fought two-one victory in the reverse fixture.

Thierry Audel put Welling ahead in the second minute but Bath levelled through Sean Rigg just short of the hour mark. Four minutes remained when the Romans’ nemesis, Danny Mills, scored the winner. Mills also scored one of Welling’s goals at Twerton Park and has notched against them for Whitehawk, Ebbsfleet United and Dartford.

Although Mills has now moved on, Welling are not short of fire-power so another tight fixture can be expected.

Picture supplied by Welling United FC