Post by dbbn on Feb 28, 2024 23:21:18 GMT
Match Preview
Saturday 2 March 2024
Vanarama National League South
Welling United v Braintree Town
Braintree complete their third successive fixture on the road with a shorter trip to Welling United on Saturday. The Wings who have struggled for the greater part of the season and were in danger of relegation have appointed ex-Braintree Town boss Rod Stringer to take over the reins at the J Hearnden Skip Hire Community Stadium.
Stringer has had an instant impact lifting them out of the relegation places and up to nineteenth place in the VNLS. Since he arrived at the end of January, the Wings are unbeaten in the League with three wins and three draws. Their record is now P 34 W 8 D 12 L 14 GF 44 GA 60 Points 36. At home they have P 18 W 6 D 6 L 6 GF 26 GA 24 Points 24.
They have failed to score at home on eight occasions, four of which were goal less draws, but they have also put four goals past Slough Town (4-3), Yeovil Town (4-1) and Worthing (4-1).
In the F A Cup this season they started off with a three-two away win at nearby rivals Dartford, then travelled to Gosport Borough and earned a two-two draw, winning the replay four-two, before going out one-nil away to Boreham Wood. They gave a good account of themselves in the F A Trophy reaching Round Five with all the ties played at home. Taunton held the Wings to a two-two draw, but went out eight-seven on pens. It also took penalties after they had drawn one-one with Brackley Town; the Wings won the shoot-out four-three. They then had an impressive two nil win against National League leaders Chesterfield, before losing nil-three to Barnet.
Leading scorers for the Wings are Tristan Abrahams with eleven goals, but he left the club last week to join Maidenhead United. Kain Adom had netted eight goals before his move to Gateshead in January. That leaves Antony Papadopoulos and Sonny Fish with five goals as the top scorers currently at the club.
There are a few ex-Iron players on the Welling books, centre back Joe Ellul and strikers Reece Grant and Luke Holness.
The two sides met earlier in the season at the Rare Breed Meat Company Stadium on 14 November 2023 when the Iron tore them apart in the opening twenty four minutes, with goals from Shaq Coulthirst, Aaron Blair and Matt Ward. Dominic Odusnya pulled one back four minutes into the second half before Matt Ward added his second of the evening in the eight third minute. Highlights here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3_5xF2BMh0
Our last visit to Welling on 21 February 2023 also saw an Iron win> Aaron Blair again was on the score sheet with a first half strike. Baris Altintop added a second in the second half with Welling’s Amadou Kassarate seeing red in the seventy second minute. Highlights here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOV8-4Gh__o
The Iron have really shown their play-off credentials with seven successive wins and probably the smallest squad in the League, culminating with an excellent two-one win at Bath City on Tuesday night where the Iron had to come from behind. Alfie Pavey will miss out again as he serves the third of his three game ban, so this will be another testing occasion against another improving side.
Saturday 2 March 2024
Vanarama National League South
Welling United v Braintree Town
Braintree complete their third successive fixture on the road with a shorter trip to Welling United on Saturday. The Wings who have struggled for the greater part of the season and were in danger of relegation have appointed ex-Braintree Town boss Rod Stringer to take over the reins at the J Hearnden Skip Hire Community Stadium.
Stringer has had an instant impact lifting them out of the relegation places and up to nineteenth place in the VNLS. Since he arrived at the end of January, the Wings are unbeaten in the League with three wins and three draws. Their record is now P 34 W 8 D 12 L 14 GF 44 GA 60 Points 36. At home they have P 18 W 6 D 6 L 6 GF 26 GA 24 Points 24.
They have failed to score at home on eight occasions, four of which were goal less draws, but they have also put four goals past Slough Town (4-3), Yeovil Town (4-1) and Worthing (4-1).
In the F A Cup this season they started off with a three-two away win at nearby rivals Dartford, then travelled to Gosport Borough and earned a two-two draw, winning the replay four-two, before going out one-nil away to Boreham Wood. They gave a good account of themselves in the F A Trophy reaching Round Five with all the ties played at home. Taunton held the Wings to a two-two draw, but went out eight-seven on pens. It also took penalties after they had drawn one-one with Brackley Town; the Wings won the shoot-out four-three. They then had an impressive two nil win against National League leaders Chesterfield, before losing nil-three to Barnet.
Leading scorers for the Wings are Tristan Abrahams with eleven goals, but he left the club last week to join Maidenhead United. Kain Adom had netted eight goals before his move to Gateshead in January. That leaves Antony Papadopoulos and Sonny Fish with five goals as the top scorers currently at the club.
There are a few ex-Iron players on the Welling books, centre back Joe Ellul and strikers Reece Grant and Luke Holness.
The two sides met earlier in the season at the Rare Breed Meat Company Stadium on 14 November 2023 when the Iron tore them apart in the opening twenty four minutes, with goals from Shaq Coulthirst, Aaron Blair and Matt Ward. Dominic Odusnya pulled one back four minutes into the second half before Matt Ward added his second of the evening in the eight third minute. Highlights here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3_5xF2BMh0
Our last visit to Welling on 21 February 2023 also saw an Iron win> Aaron Blair again was on the score sheet with a first half strike. Baris Altintop added a second in the second half with Welling’s Amadou Kassarate seeing red in the seventy second minute. Highlights here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOV8-4Gh__o
The Iron have really shown their play-off credentials with seven successive wins and probably the smallest squad in the League, culminating with an excellent two-one win at Bath City on Tuesday night where the Iron had to come from behind. Alfie Pavey will miss out again as he serves the third of his three game ban, so this will be another testing occasion against another improving side.
