Welling United are delighted to confirm Lee Martin as the club’s new First-Team Manager 38-year-old midfielder Martin enjoyed a successful playing career having began as a youngster with Manchester United making three first-team appearances for the Premier League giants while enjoying loan spells with Royal Antwerp He made a permanent move to Ipswich Town in 2009 where he made well over 100 appearances over a four-year spell which included a loan stay with Charlton Athletic during the 2010/11 campaign A three-year stint with Millwall followed before Martin also represented Northampton Town where he rounded off his playing career by helping his side to the Isthmian League Division South East title He now turns his attention to management as he looks to help the Wings rebuild following relegation from the National League South in 2024/25 Speaking after putting pen to paper at Park View Road Martin said: “I’m making that transition from playing into management and I’m delighted to get it over the line – I can’t wait to get started We’re ahead of the curve in terms of recruitment we’ve highlighted some good players and the big thing we’re going after now is character We want good characters around the place because we want to merge the players and supporters back together “The fans are fundamental to what we want to create here there’s been a disconnect and we want them to feel a part of us so we can be one team together.” “We want to have control of possession,” added Martin play through the thirds and create goalscoring opportunities We want supporters to be coming here excited to watch an entertaining game of football and one in which we score plenty of goals.” and will be assisted by his former teammate Welling-born Billy Bingham who enjoyed a career as a midfielder for Dagenham & Redbridge The new Wings boss will meet supporters at a ‘Meet the Manager’ event at Park View Road with full details to be announced in due course J Hearnden Skip Hire Community Stadium Park View Road Welling Kent DA16 1SY Welling United Football Club is a Community Interest Company registered with Companies House Full name Welling United Football Club Community Interest Company Limited Registered number 08055420 by | May 2, 2025 | Match Day Reports Cray Wanderers U16s vs Welling United Youth U16s Kent Youth League Cup Final – Thursday 1st May Cray Wanderers                                             2 Welling United Youth                                      2 Cray Wanderers first of three meetings with Welling United ended in agonising defeat in the Kent Youth League Cup Final after an epic battle was decided with the lottery of a penalty shoot-out with the Wings winning 7-6 after a 2-2 draw after 100 minutes Played at the fine and unique setting of Gay Dawn Farm the match was high on intensity and Welling perhaps shaded the first half but Cray led courtesy of a Jack Denton penalty converted in the 14th minute Welling levelled the match five minutes into the second half through a well struck Vijay Krishnaraj strike and then took the lead through a penalty of their own in the 64th minute scored by Maybin Calvert Cray though kept plugging away and amidst dramatic scenes levelled with the last kick of the game in the 85th minute through Charlie England’s close range finish Extra time was an even twenty minutes with no further goals so it took a penalty shoot out to decide the final Cray scored their first four penalties whilst Krishnaraj with Welling’s first kick saw his shot well saved by George Clark Cray held a 4-3 advantage but England saw what would have been the decisive penalty saved by Olamiposi Jegede Frankie Cheesman’s spot kick went wide of the right post and Malachy Mulvinell converted the winning spot kick for Welling and a 7-6 victory The teams meet twice in the league with Cray in a battle with Maidstone for the title and those will be keenly contested games if this encounter is anything to go by Cray began the game confidently but it was Welling who created the first opening when Maxwell Okunzuma down the left of the area took advantage of hesitation at the back but saw his shot blocked well by George Clark for a corner The Wands though took the lead with their first real incision when Tommy O’Donnell inside the area was adjudged to have been brought down and from the spot Jack Denton converted with great confidence The rest of the half passed by very quickly with not too many chances for either side with Welling seeing a shot from Kane Stewart go well over the top Just before the break though Welling began to forge one or two openings and could have gone in level at the break Okunzuma did well to cut into the box down the right but fired his shot just past the left post Vijay Krishnaraj down the right set up Alfie Williams whose close range shot was well pushed out by Clark The second half began much the way the first ended with Wellign showing purpose and the Wings levelled five minutes after the break with a firmly struck shot from Krishnaraj This seem to inspire Cray to get back in front and Seb Amati down the left saw a shot go just past the right post Then Harvey Clark who made a huge impact when he came on at half time down the left put over a cross and Jake Fowler’s header was saved by Jegede This was followed by Denton coming close to a second goal with a shot that was well saved A little against the run of play though Welling went in front in the 64th minute again through a penalty of their own after Maybin Calvert was brought down just inside the area and Calvert fired in from the spot Cray kept plugging away and almost levelled in the last minute but Jonny Gwynne down the left of the area put a cross-shot across goal and just wide of the right post It looked like Welling had seen out the game when in the fifth and final minute of added time Cray were awarded a free kick out on the right The ball was lofted towards the far post where Denton got to the cross and saw his effort hit the bar but the ball fell nicely to Charlie England to drill into the net and cue delirium with what was the last kick of the game The game now went to extra-time where perhaps straight to penalties would have been better as although still high on intensity the teams seemed to cancel each other perhaps through tiredness Cray had the better of the opening ten minutes playing on the front foot buoyed by the late equaliser while Welling seemed a bit out on their feet The best opening of the first period came to Cray when down the left Harvey Clark came close with a curling shot wide of the right post The second period saw Welling more on top but aside from a corner and a free kick at the other end for Cray which hit the wall and Cameron Anderson-Green put a cross shot over but the game seemed always destined for penalties The penalty shoot-out began with Cray scoring first through Denton and held a slight advantage as Krishnaraj saw the Wings first kick well saved by George Clark Harvey Clark and Johnny Gwynne all scored for Cray and Jegede Kaiden Robinson and Kaycee Mbette for Welling making it 4-3 to Cray with Charlie England needing to convert to win but Jegede got the merest touch to turn the ball onto the crossbar and over Alfie Williams made it 4-4 leading to sudden death spot kicks Freddie Newman and Daniel Dilley scored for Cray and Archie Gillett and Harry White for Welling make it 6-6 for Cray Frankie Cheesman saw his penalty go past the right post and for Welling Malachy Mulvinell converted his kick making it 7-6 and victory for Welling on a night of great drama and competition and a shame there had to be a loser as perhaps in a bygone era a replay would have been an ideal scenario The teams meet for the first time this season in the league on Sunday 4th May at Flamingo Park 12 pm ko and then again at Welling the following Sunday at Cleeve Park School If those games match this night then they should be great contests Welling United:                       Olampiosi Jegede New Stadium First Team Tickets Club News Contact Us Instagram YouTube Twitter Our club sponsor page and sadly it is what happened on Good Friday a handful of so-called fans acted in a totally inappropriate way The club fully condemns this behaviour which damages our good name and we will not tolerate it The people responsible are not welcome as Stones fans they uploaded the incidents onto social media to get a few likes it will greatly help the police investigation anyone identified from that footage will receive a ban from our stadium So whether you turn up on Easter Monday or leave it till the new season We will not allow the actions of a few to spoil it for the many We apologise to Welling United for such unacceptable behaviour which many of our own loyal supporters have also roundly condemned We wish Welling United every success for next season and look forward to meeting again in a peaceful atmosphere of friendly rivalry in the near future Chelmsford City welcome Welling United to the EMJ Community Stadium for the club’s final home fixture of the 2024-25 season The Easter Monday clash will also mark manager Robbie Simpson’s last home game in charge of the Clarets Simpson’s five-year reign will officially come to a close following City’s final outing of the campaign away at Weymouth in less than a week’s time Defender Jazzi Barnum-Bobb said after Good Friday’s trip to relegated Aveley that the Clarets will be determined to give their long-serving manager a send-off to remember on home turf. To do so, City will need to bounce back from their disappointing Good Friday trip across Essex and earn a positive result against the Wings – another side whose relegation has already been confirmed Bryan Statham’s side had their fate sealed last time out after they fell to a heavy 4-0 defeat against local rivals Maidstone United confirming their drop to Step Three of the Non-League pyramid Welling will aim to give their fans a day out to remember in their final away trip of the campaign Simpson’s side still have a top-half finish in their sights which remains more than possible should other Easter Monday results go their way Here’s all that Clarets supporters need to know ahead of the game… Watch the highlights of our home win over Welling United last season Welling United have endured a tough 2024-25 campaign with their relegation confirmed on Good Friday following a 4-0 defeat to Maidstone United Former Clarets manager Rod Stringer began the season at the helm as Wings manager but a poor run of form early in 2025 saw the club fall into the relegation zone with eight games to go Brentford and Chelmsford City man Bryan Statham Statham took over in a caretaker capacity and initially picked up a memorable win over league leaders Worthing in his second game in charge a subsequent run of three losses and a draw saw Welling’s survival hopes slip away The Wings’ squad includes a few familiar faces for Clarets fans though they are unlikely to feature on Monday who made seven appearances for City in 2022 is a doubt after limping off during the defeat to Maidstone who played 117 times in a City shirt and previously captained the club Monday’s match may come too soon for the 37-year-old Chiori Johnson and Zain Walker look set to remain sidelined through injury Robbie Simpson will be hoping for a clean bill of health following the Good Friday trip to Aveley with no fresh injury concerns ahead of his final home game in charge with a variety of activities on offer for Clarets of all ages ahead of kick-off Supporters can click here to buy tickets online ahead of matchday Online tickets will be on sale until 12pm on the day of the game Tickets will also be available on the gate on the day of the fixture The EMJ Community Stadium will be open from 11am on Easter Monday Cash or card payments are accepted at the turnstiles Please note the Chelmsford City clubhouse is a CASHLESS venue supporters are encouraged to gather in the clubhouse to bid farewell to manager Robbie Simpson and attend the club’s End of Season Awards ceremony where the winners of the Player of the Season and Young Player of the Season awards will be announced Radio Clarets will provide live audio commentary of proceedings at the EMJ Community Stadium Clarets fans can find pre-match coverage of Monday’s match and live updates of the proceedings by following the club’s X (formerly Twitter) page: @OfficialClarets and Instagram page: chelmsfordcityfc Post-match reactions will be found on the club’s website, official social media channels and on ClaretsTV. Chelmsford City FC © 2025 It looks like you haven't added any items to your cart yet Following relegation from the National League South Welling United have moved swiftly to appoint former Manchester United winger Lee Martin as their new manager He already has a South London connection having made 20 appearances for Charlton Athletic and two at Exeter City before moving to Kent and non-League football Two seasons at Gillingham were followed by a year at Dover Athletic before he moved to Ramsgate and back to Ramsgate where he was part of the team that won the Isthmian League South East championship has joined Martin as his assistant manager Martin is promising exciting and attacking football He said “Nowadays we want to play football It’s all very good having control of the possession but the game’s not changed “It’s still an invasion game and we want to make the fans excited We want to bring an entertaining style of play to them and that is doing it in that area there.” Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Lee Martin speaks for the first time after being named as the new Welling United boss Tickets for the away match against Welling United on Good Friday are now on sale There will be home and away sections for this match and Stones fans must buy their tickets online in advance of the fixture Tickets will not be available on the turnstiles that day Please note those purchasing concession or student tickets must have appropriate ID such as a bus pass Disabled supporters will pay the concession rate Full-time: Chelmsford City 5-1 Welling United Chelmsford City delivered a five-star performance in Robbie Simpson’s final home game as Clarets manager by brushing aside already-relegated Welling United 5-1 at the EMJ Community Stadium A first half brace from Charlie Ruff gave City a deserved lead at the break though the vice-captain missed the chance to complete a hat trick from the penalty spot in the 35th minute Welling briefly threatened a comeback after capitalising on an early second half mistake by goalkeeper Ted Collins Freddie Hockey and Archie Tamplin added to City’s goal tally and ensured Simpson’s home farewell was one to remember Ahead of the Clarets’ final home fixture of the 2024-25 season Simpson made two changes to the side that started against Aveley on Good Friday Ruff and Jacob Bland came into the XI and replaced Sam Oguntayo and Hockey City made a flying start and took the lead in the 5th minute Bland showed quick feet to beat two Welling defenders in the corner before cutting the ball across the box to the returning Ruff who took a touch and then curled a superb effort into the top corner of Rhys Lovett’s net Ruff doubled City’s lead in the 32nd minute Donaldson’s corner was headed back across goal by Arthur Penney and Ruff reacted quickest by guiding the ball home from close range with his head Ruff had the chance to complete his hat trick from the penalty spot after Bland was fouled inside the box Although Nico Valentine found the net moments after the foul referee Joseph Dann-Pye had already blown for the penalty and disallowed the goal Ruff sent Lovett the wrong way from 12-yards but agonisingly dragged his shot just wide of the post The Wings pulled one back early in the second half through substitute Josh Redfearn in the 50th minute A long ball forward caused confusion at the back and City keeper Collins was caught in no man’s land which allowed Redfearn to round him and finish into an empty net City quickly regrouped and restored their two-goal cushion just five minutes later Donaldson was first to react to a loose ball on the edge of the area and rifled a low drive into the bottom corner – his second league goal of the campaign The Clarets smelt blood against their relegated opponents and added a fourth in the 76th minute Valentine whipped in a dangerous cross from the right which found substitute Hockey in front of goal The forward made no mistake and tapped in Valentine’s cross for his first league strike since September The scoring was rounded off in the 85th minute when Tamplin got on the scoresheet to cap off a high octane display who had come on as a substitute for the injured Paul Appiah in the first half delivered a pinpoint cross to the back post where Tamplin slotted home his second goal of the season The result ensured a memorable send-off for Robbie Simpson in his final home game as manager with three points lifting City back into the top half of the National League South table ahead of Saturday’s season finale at Weymouth Chelmsford City XI: Collins (GK); Barnum-Bobb Welling United XI: Lovett (GK); Davies (Ballard-McBride 71’) Match Officials: Joseph Dann-Pye (Referee) Welling United’s relegation from the Vanarama National League South has been confirmed following a 4-0 defeat to Maidstone United at Park View Road on Friday afternoon Goals either side of the break did the damage for the Wings as the Stones strengthened their play-off credentials with a convincing victory The hosts came agonisingly close to opening the scoring with just five minutes on the clock when Jez Davies swivelled nicely on the edge of the box before seeing his shot crash back off the woodwork and clawed away by Stones stopper Alexis Andre Jr the promotion-chasing visitors began to turn the screw – Jack Burchell made a good block from Charlie Seaman’s volley before Rhys Lovett made a good save to keep Ruben Shakpoke’s shot out of the bottom left-hand corner It would not be long before Maidstone would get the opener with Aaron Blair crashing home a finish into the roof of the net Welling looked to respond with Davies hitting the crossbar for the second time with another good-looking shot from the edge of the penalty area but their efforts were hindered on the half-hour mark when Deon Moore was forced off with injury The Stones continued to push for a second and got it before the break and it came via a set-piece as Temi Eweka powered home a header from a corner It would get worse for the Wings in the second half as the visitors made it three just six minutes after the restart as they capitalised on a Lovett error The goalkeeper’s attempted clearance resulted in a mis-kick allowing Jacob Berkley-Agyepong the simple task of finishing into an empty net Three became four before the hour mark when the Stones were awarded a penalty after Lovett was adjudged to have fouled Berkley-Agyepong in the box leaving Ben Brookes to step up and dispatch his spot-kick to put the game well and truly beyond the hosts The work will now begin for Welling to mount a challenge for an immediate return as they prepare for life in step three next season Welling United suffered a heavy 5-0 defeat at the hands of Hampton & Richmond at the Beveree Stadium on Saturday with relegation now looming large over the Wings It was a disastrous start for the visitors in south-west London with the home side racing into a two-goal lead in the first five minutes Zanda Siziba was allowed the freedom of the Welling penalty area to dispatch a simple finish after he was teed up with a pass from the right And less than a minute had elapsed before the Beavers made it two as they cut their way through the Wings’ defence for Harry Gardner to finish through the legs of Rhys Lovett the lively Sahid Kamara forced Hampton keeper Max Merrick into an excellent save when his goalbound effort from the edge of the box the away side would never recover from that slow start it would be 3-0 just after the half-hour mark when Gardner secured his brace with a stunning strike from 18 yards which nestled in the top right-hand corner Brian Statham shuffled his pack with a triple substitution at the break with Jack Burchell Dan Martin and Deon Moore all entering the fray – but it would be more of the same after the restart with Hampton extending their lead to four in the 52nd minute as Gardner completed his hat-trick After Lovett had made a save from an initial shot Gardner was on hand at the far post to nod home the rebound for 4-0 Welling’s afternoon was compounded on the hour mark when they seemed to have a perfectly good goal ignored Josh Redfearn’s shot came back off the left-hand upright and inside the right post before being scooped back from behind the line from the goalkeeper meaning the visitors should have reduced their arrears There was still room for the home side to punish the Wings further as they added a fifth with 15 minutes remaining – Scott Kashket was dispossessed in a dangerous position leaving a Hampton forward to race through one-on-one by Mauro Vilheta was there to tap home the rebound into an empty net The Beavers were reduced to 10 men for the final 10 minutes of the game when Archie Taylor was given his marching orders he was pulled up by the referee for taking his time over a corner and booked for time wasting Any advantage that came with that came far too little and too late for Welling The result leaves the Wings seven points adrift of safety with just three games left to play Next up is the visit of Maidstone United to Park View Road on Good Friday Sent off: Taylor 79 (second bookable offence) Watch back all the key moments from the Wings' 1-1 draw on final day against Salisbury at Park View Road Welling United’s 2024/25 campaign comes to an end on Saturday as they host Salisbury at Park View Road (3pm) they could play their part in deciding who will join them in relegation from National League South and will want to go out on a positive note with a victory after what has been a challenging season Deon Moore and Dave Winfield all remain doubtful with injury while Jack Burchell and Tyrese Briscoe could also miss out after limping off during the first half of Monday’s defeat at Chelmsford City Salisbury are fighting for survival against an immediate return to step three after winning promotion to National League South last season Having been hovering over the dropzone and currently sitting in 20th position they know that they will beat the drop if they can better St Albans City’s result on final day even a win at Park View Road may not necessarily guarantee survival if St Albans also win and overhaul Salisbury’s one-goal advantage on goal difference Both Salisbury and St Albans could survive together if they both win and Enfield Town lose with Enfield possessing an inferior goal difference 15 draws and 20 defeats from their 45 games played and they come into Saturday’s game with one win in their last five outings There was no festive cheer for Welling in Wiltshire back in December as they slipped to a 3-1 defeat to Salisbury at the Raymond McEnhill Stadium bringing an end to a five-game run without defeat Tickets for the final-day clash against Salisbury are available to purchase online in advance and will also be available for cash and card at the turnstiles on the day of the match with a £1 increase on adult Tickets bought online in advance are priced £16 adults U11s also go free with an accompanying adult Tickets bought at the turnstiles will be priced £17 adults while U16s and U11s go free (U11s with an accompanying adult The Fans Zone marquee will be open for all supporters ahead of kick-off with a variety of alcoholic drinks on offer while the Urban Street Food food truck will be offering a whole host of tasty food options throughout the afternoon to jerk chicken and chicken chow mein and everything in between Big screens will be on in both the Fans Zone and Wings Bar with the Chelsea v Everton game being shown live on TNT Sports while two darts boards are available for fans to go head-to-head with their friends and supporters will also be able to enjoy live music pre-match the the club’s official matchday programme will be available to purchase at the turnstiles for £3 Watch back the key moments from the Wings' defeat to Chelmsford City at the Melbourne Stadium on Easter Monday Welling United bowed out of the London Senior Cup with a 3-2 defeat to Brentford B at Park View Road on Tuesday evening An entertaining affair saw the Wings pull themselves level twice with Martell Taylor-Crossdale and Deon Moore betting either side of half-time before the Beees won the tie with the last kick of the game A fairly even first half saw the hosts come close early on with Taylor-Crossdale’s effort from distance fizzing just wide while Rhys Lovett made a good save from Chanse Headman’s header on the line at the other end Deon Moore saw a good-looking shot fly just wide from the edge of the box on the half-hour mark but it would be the Bees who would open the scoring shortly after Emeka Peters was on hand to put away the rebound to make it 1-0 to the west Londoners Welling would fight back to draw themselves level just before the break Taylor-Crossdale found room in a busy box to dig out a fine finish which found the far right-hand corner to ensure the sides would head for the changing rooms at half-time on level terms Into the second period and Brentford nudged themselves ahead shortly after the restart from a set-piece – the Wings failed to clear their lines from a corner and Adam Poliakov was left to hammer home from close range But that lead would last a mere six minutes as the home side battled back for a second time Taylor-Crossdale came close to bagging his brace only to be denied by an excellent save from Bees stopper Marley Tavaziva but there was nothing he could do to stop Moore from finishing from a couple of yards out Tavaziva made a brilliant save to keep out Moore’s piledriver with 17 minutes remaining while Brentford sub Conor Wolfheimer fired over from a good position in the box shortly after It looked like there would be nothing to separate the sides after 90 minutes and seemed for all the world that the tie would be decided on penalties had other ideas and won it at the death with a winner in the sixth minute of injury time it came from a Welling corner which was abruptly cleared and set Brentford on their way on a lightning-quick counter attack which was rounded off by Kaya Halil’s finish to ensure his side’s place in the semi-finals Welling United’s final away game of the 2024/25 season ended in defeat to Chelmsford City at the Melbourne Stadium on Easter Monday The hosts took an early lead in emphatic fashion after just five minutes when Charlie Ruff sent a powerful drive into the net from just inside the box And the Wings fell further behind shortly after the hour mark when the Clarets skipper secured his brace heading home from close range after a corner was nodded back across the six yard box have got worse for Welling on 34 minutes when Chelmsford had the ball in the net but the referee had already blown his whistle for a penalty seconds before it had crossed the line  – to add to the controversy Tyrese Briscoe forced home keeper Ted Collins into a good save while Gene Kennedy fired just wide from the edge of the box Welling would half the deficit early in the second half when Josh Redfearn pounced on a loose backpass punishing the hesitancy of Collins to nick the ball off him and finish into an empty net to make it 2-1 the visitors nearly took advantage of another error at the back when Collins was left stranded on the edge of the box after tackling Redfearn leaving the ball to run loose to Scott Kashket who fired just over the empty net But just as it looked as if the Wings had got a foothold back in the game with Ruaridh Donaldson finding the bottom right-hand corner for 3-1 the Clarets added a fourth to put another nail in the coffin with sub Freddie Hockey sliding the ball past Rhys Lovett while Archie Tamplin banged in the final nail from close range three minutes later Welling’s season will end with the visit of Salisbury to Park View Road on Saturday Tickets for Welling United’s penultimate home fixture of the 2024/25 season against Maidstone United on Friday with the game at Park View Road set to be segregated Visiting supporters will be occupied in the Erith & Belvedere side of the stadium and must purchase their tickets online in advance with no tickets available from the away turnstiles on the day will continue to be able to purchase their tickets both online in advance and from the home turnstiles on the day of the game with a £1 increase on adult and concession tickets Tickets bought at the home turnstiles will be priced £17 adults Wings goalkeeper Rhys Lovett enjoyed a clean sweep of seasonal awards as he was named Supporters’ Manager’s and Players’ Player of the Year for the 2024/25 campaign The stopper has impressed between the sticks for Welling in what has been an otherwise difficult season and his performances have been rewarded with recognition from fans Lovett was presented with his awards ahead of the final-day draw with Salisbury at Park View Road on Saturday Gene Kennedy received an award as the club’s top scorer for the campaign after the midfielder found the net eight times in the National League South supporter Brian Coates was presented with the Eric Brackstone Volunteer of the Year award in recognition of his continued hard work selflessly giving up his time to help clear and tidy the stadium and offering a helping hand wherever possible Welling United head to Chelmsford City on Monday for their final away game of the 2024/25 season (3pm) With relegation having been confirmed on Friday the Wings only have pride to play for from their remaining two fixtures with sights now set on plans a successful campaign in 2025/26 and an immediate return to step two Chiori Johnson and Zain Walker will continue to miss out through injury while the Easter Monday clash may also come too soon for former Chelmsford skipper Dave Winfield as he nears a return from injury Deon Moore is also a doubt after limping off during the first half of Friday’s defeat to Maidstone United mid-table campaign this season and come into Monday’s game in 13th position in National League South having won 14 They have won one of their last six outings and have faced back-to-back defeats to Enfield Town and Aveley in their last two encounters Welling slipped to a narrow defeat to Chelmsford at Park View Road in the reverse fixture on Boxing Day After a close-fought post-Christmas battle it took a late goal for the Essex side to claim the points on a frustrating afternoon Tickets for the clash at the Melbourne Stadium are available online in advance and from the turnstiles on the day of the game Online tickets are available until 12pm on Monday and ticket will increase in price at the turnstiles Wings fans not making the journey on Monday afternoon can follow all the action with live commentary thanks to Radio Wings You can join Nigel Jones in the commentary box by clicking here come kick off. Full match updates will be available via the club’s official X account while a match report will be available to view on wellingunited.com shortly after full-time Welling United Football Club are delighted to announce our Community Day 2025 at Park View Road Discover Welling and University of Greenwich with further involvement from our friends at Bexley Wellbeing Partnership Team Community Day 2025 will take place on Sunday organisations and businesses working alongside local people to bring our club and community together with a variety of the following on offer at this FREE event for all: Please note that our Community Day prohibits dogs from being brought into the event unless they are a certified emotional support dog – all owners must have certification with them upon arrival / entry If you are a local business, charity, school or service who would like to be part of our day, please submit the attached form to our partners at CC Events by clicking here. Welling United are really looking forward to this great day and working closely with CC Events Discover Welling & University of Greenwich to impact our community with a memorable event Watch back the goals from the Wings' London Senior Cup clash with Brentford B at Park View Road Radio Wings will be providing coverage of Chelmsford City v Welling United LIVE from the Melbourne Stadium on Monday (3pm) join Nigel Jones in the commentary box and click the player below to listen to all the action from around 2.55pm Welling United Football Club are able to share the below update from the club’s owner As the 2024/25 season winds down to a dramatic and tense conclusion there’s no denying we have had some below par results over the season which leaves our club in the relegation zone with eight games to go I understand the frustrations felt by our fans and as Chairman Together we will fight for survival until the very last game of this disappointing season Survival as a football club in the National League South isn’t just about playing and winning games survival and long-term sustainability of any club is achieved both on and off the pitch and this only started properly at the beginning of 2024/25 and has remained our goal throughout the season – this is not achievable over 46 games When this new Operational Board was being formed Matt Mein and I wanted to attract a broad selection of talented and committed individuals who all brought a different skillset we lacked – we now have in place people with backgrounds in law as well as football strategy and direction from different leagues and teams The foundations needed have been set to help build a Welling United of the future Our Board was tasked with dealing with a number of legacy issues inherited There have been a number of changes and improvements made already It’s evident to see Welling United is lagging behind other clubs in this league in terms of squad budget and infrastructure – there has been significant investment made over the years but that’s helped us to just keep our heads above water and maintaining the status quo Not everyone is privy to conversations happening behind closed doors and for a multitude of reasons that has to remain the case I can share with you that we do have a plan and strategy we are looking to implement over the coming months and seasons No doubt you would have read the news that Rod Stringer has decided to step down as First-Team Manager and Brian Statham is acting as Caretaker Manager for our remaining games We are currently in discussions with a few potential replacements for the managers position details of whom I cannot disclose for obvious reasons but rest assured we are seeking someone who shares our short We plan to announce a replacement at the end of this current season Moving on to other matters; as mentioned above our club needs to be brought in line with others in the league if we are to be serious about competing on and off the pitch and one of the key areas of focus is installation of an artificial pitch This will change our club and outlook dramatically as it will make the pitch available to our team more often eradicate game cancellations due to rainfall and also give the club a much-needed additional income stream We will be working closely with schools and community groups to make our facilities available to them Discussions are happening right now with specialists planning consultants and Bexley Council with a view to have this installed at the end of 2025/26 season and fully-functioning by August 2026 This new pitch will also see additional and improved changing facilities and restrooms as well as terrace and stadium upgrades All of the desired changes and improvements we want to make cost significant sums of money; a financial commitment difficult to be dealt with alone This is why I am currently working very closely with someone who has a passion for football and shares the long-term vision and has recently expressed an interest in sharing this with me by purchasing some of my shares in the club –  funds of which will go towards settling some historic debts and also towards funding our growth and improvements Our community team continues to engage with many different organisations in the borough as this goes from strength to strength The club’s affiliation with the University of Greenwich is growing and we’re building great relationships with the NHS mental health charities like Mind and Talk Club and regularly hosting children from schools and other sports clubs in the area This work will continue season after season as we look to maintain our family club status We now have a sales strategy in place and are working on sponsorship opportunities with local and national businesses Our commercial offering was stagnant whilst we focused on getting on top of legacy financial issues but with a lot of hard work by our finance team over the past few months Our sales team can now focus on targeting this stream of income properly The stadium redevelopment plans were hit with delays due to the proposed developer and Bexley Council having different visions and desired outcomes This hasn’t stopped us as a club in pursuing this project but it will take time conversations and meetings continue and a consultancy partner has been tasked with re-surveying site and put together a revised proposal that benefits the club and thereafter satisfies the local authority and developers This remains our longer-term plan and will keep you updated on changes as and when they happen I cannot do so without acknowledging the commitment of you – our fans This club has one of the most loyal fanbases in this league and this is evident by our away following You’ve stood by our team during the highs and lows and we implore you to keep doing so we want away fans to feel outnumbered at PVR we want the opposition to feel anxious when playing us and We can only achieve success with you all on board – this is a unity and collaboration back the management and let’s make Welling United a team to be reckoned with Tickets for Welling United’s Kent Senior Cup final clash with Ebbsfleet United at Priestfield Stadium are now on sale The Wings will take on Fleet in the final at the home of Gillingham on Wednesday April 2nd (7.45pm) and have been allocated the Gordon Road Stand while Ebbsfleet supporters will be situated in the Medway Stand Lower The match will be all ticket with tickets available to purchase online up until kick-off on the day of the game at the following prices: Welling United kick off the Easter weekend on Good Friday as they welcome Maidstone United to Park View Road (3pm) the Wings know that only a victory will do if they are going to remain alive in their fight against relegation while a victory for Salisbury in their game against Weymouth would also condemn Welling to the drop Dave Winfield will be knocking on the door of a return to action after being sidelined in recent weeks with injury but Chiori Johnson and Zain Walker will continue to miss out Gene Kennedy will be available again having served his two-match ban Maidstone remain in the hunt for promotion albeit through the play-offs as they face a battle to secure a place in the top seven They come into the Easter weekend in eighth place one point off Weston-super-Mare who occupy the final play-off position 14 draws and nine defeats from their 43 games played Their recent form has seen them embark on a three-game winning run before losing 3-0 at Weston-super-Mare in a six-pointer earlier this month and following up with a goalless draw at home to Weymouth last weekend Welling slipped to a narrow defeat at the hands of Maidstone at the Gallagher Stadium in the reverse fixture on New Year’s Day Despite a brave defensive performance from the Wings Aaron Blair’s second-half strike was enough to earn the points for the in-form home side Tickets for the penultimate home fixture of the 2024/25 season against Maidstone are now on sale Visiting supporters will be occupied in the Erith & Belvedere side of the stadium and must purchase their tickets online in advance Tickets bought at the home turnstiles will be priced £17 adults The Fans Zone marquee will be open for home supporters ahead of kick-off with a variety of alcoholic drinks on offer while the Urban Street Food truck will be offering a whole host of tasty food options throughout the afternoon Big screens will be on in both the Fans Zone and Wings Bar Away supporters will have access to the Erith & Belvedere bar where food will also be available by | Apr 29, 2025 | Front Page Allthough the first team and Women’s team’s season may have ended please see here information on Cray Wanderers Youth activity upcoming and a roundup of the Selkent Cup and Vase Finals on 26th April with five Wands teams involved The Cray Wanderers U16s play the Kent Youth League Cup Final vs Welling United U16s on Thursday 1st May at Corinthian FC Brett Cheesman’s side advanced after a fine 1-0 win at Bromley in the Semi-Final and are in with a chance of a league and cup double and are vying with Maidstone for the Kent Youth League North title This will also be the first of three meetings with the Wings in the next few weeks best bet is to use the A224/A20 for the 12.5 mile journey From Kent Road turn right onto Cray Avenue/A224 Follow for 1.7 miles then at the roundabout take the 3rd exit onto Edgington Way/A223 After 0.2 miles turn right towards Sidcup By-pass/A20 then merge onto Sidcup By-Pass Rd/A20 via the slip road to Dover/M20/M25 Continue to follow the A20 for 3.9 miles then using the left lane to take the M25/A20 slip road to B2173/Dartford/Gatwick Airport/West Kingsdown/Swanley After 0.3 miles at the roundabout take the 3rd exit onto London Road/A20 then after 0.4 miles at the roundabout take the 2nd exit staying on the London Road/A20 then at the roundabout take the 2nd exit onto Main Road/A20 continuing on the A20 for 1.6 miles turn left onto Fawkham Road then continue on to Brands Hatch Road for 0.5 miles then continue on to Valley Road for 1.5 miles Then turn right and Corinthian Sports Club will be two minutes away on the right The nearest train station to Corinthian FC is Longfield which is reached from Bromley South/St   Trains from St Mary Cray leave at 10 and 40 mins past the hour From Swanley trains leave at 15 & 45 minutes past the hour and return at 22:39 or 23:39 The ground is around 1.7 miles away and will take you probably around 35 minutes to walk walk west on Station Road toward Kent Road for 0.1 mile then turn left onto Kent Road for 0.2 miles Then turn left onto Fawkham Road for 0.7 miles and then continue onto Valley Road for 0.2 miles and then turn left for 0.3 miles then another left for 0.1 mile for Corinthian Sports Club The 489 bus run by Arriva Kent Buses will take you from Longfield Station to Green Way but that will still leave you with a good 1.2 miles to walk Please note this isn’t the most frequent of buses and there is one at 18:00 (journey to Green Way takes 3 minutes) then that is it for the night There is a taxi rank by the station and this may be your best bet for a return The Cray Wanderers U23s were due to play at SC Thamesmead in the final game of the SCEFL Development League season at Bayliss Avenue on Thursday 1st May but with agreement with SC Thamesmead and the SCEFL League the match will be played now at Flamingo Park on Friday 2nd May 7.45 pm so a chance to catch even more Wands action if you are feeling bereft and give a chance to cheer on Brett and Roy’s teams on successive nights Cray are currently second in the SCEFL Development League behind Erith Town ——————————————— A note for Cray Wanderers supporters of another youth team Cup Final with the U15s Girls aiming for a third piece of silverware this season on Saturday 10th May in the final of the JPL Warriors U15s Cup Danny Stanton’s team who have already won the London and Kent County Cups face West End Terriers from Hemsworth in West Yorkshire who beat Derby County in the Semi Finals The final being a national competition takes place at Worcester Warriors Rugby Ground with an 11 am ko More details about this final and one more the Girls will play later in May to follow ‐——————- Congratulations also to all the Cray Wanderers Mini-Soccer teams who took part in the Selkent Cup and Vase Finals on Saturday 26th April at the London Marathon Sports Ground at Shooters Hill We had five teams in action with three sides winning the U7s Lions who beat Dynamo Youth (5-3) and Regans FC (2-1) to win the Selkent Cup The U8s Sharks defeated 2SG (3-0) and ST Sports City (3-0) to win the Vase and the U9s Eagles won the Vase drawing with Dartford (1-1) and beating The Bosco (6-1) The U7s Panthers came 2nd in their final with Welling United and Dulwich Village and the U10s also reached the Vase final against Real 60 and Metrogas Well done to all our teams who took part and we hope they enjoyed the day For all supporters who follow Cray at home and away may note three very young fans getting involved who are also players Ralph and Herbie all banging their drums for the Wands Victor Damyanov played for Cray at the age of 8 and scored for the first team yesterday and of course Marc Guehi and Darko Gyabi who played for Plymouth when they beat Liverpool in the FA Cup earlier this year all started out at the mini-football stage before either going to a pro-Academy or doing that later in their development Welling United can confirm that Rod Stringer has resigned from his position as First-Team Manager with immediate effect Stringer arrived at Park View Road in January 2024 and steered the Wings towards National League South safety against the odds with an incredible run of form for the remainder of the 2023/24 campaign following a difficult run of form this season which leaves the club in the relegation places with eight games left to play Stringer has made the decision to offer his resignation which has been accepted by the club’s owner who has been assisting with first-team matters in recent weeks will take up a position as Caretaker Manager until the end of the season Speaking following Stringer’s resignation Rod and Kevin Watson completed the impossible task of keeping us up creating one of the most exhilarating run- ins and gave us one of the best outcomes we could ask for it has been really tough with the frustration of not picking up the results we should have “I know how hard Rod has worked both day and night to get us out of this situation and to bring in players to help aid us in our fight but we have not been able to get bounce we needed “Rod is an incredibly honest man and has handed back the managerial keys No one more than Rod wanted this team to stay up which is why he has made this decision He felt he didn’t believe he was earning his salary and felt it was the right thing to do Rod is a true friend and what he achieved last season will not be forgotten “He will always be welcomed as our guest “For the remainder of the season Brian Statham will be taking over as Caretaker Manager along with the current coaching team.” The club would like to thank Rod for his hard work and dedication to Welling United over these last 14 months and wish him all the very best for the future Welling United host Brentford B in the quarter-finals of the London Senior Cup at Park View Road on Tuesday evening (7.45pm) Having already lifted the Kent Senior Cup with victory over Ebbsfleet United in the final at Priestfield Stadium last week the Wings will be eyeing up a county cup double if they can get past the Bees and secure a place in the last four Welling booked their date against the Bees with a 2-1 victory over Bromley at Park View Road earlier this month having beaten Sporting Bengal United 3-0 in round two while Brentford dispatched of Newham 5-1 in the last round after securing a 2-0 win at Redbridge in the previous round The winners of the tie will go on to host Barking in the semi-finals of the competition The other semi-final sees Hanwell Town host Dulwich Hamlet on Tuesday Brentford B currently occupy top spot in the U21 Professional Development League South table two points clear of second place Millwall with 18 wins three draws and five defeats from their 26 games played Their last outing saw them secure a 2-1 victory at Burnley on Friday thanks to an Isaac Holland brace The Wings have lifted the trophy on two separate occasions – the first in 1990 and the second in 2019 when they defeated Brentford B 1-0 to claim the silverware have also won the competition twice – in 1898 and in 2022 when they defeated Hendon 3-0 in a penalty shootout following a 1-1 draw in the final The Bees enjoyed a run of three final appearances in four seasons having been defeated by the Wings in 2019 and Hendon in 2020 Tickets are available online and in advance and will also be available from the turnstiles on the evening of the game for cash or card Supporters should be reminded that season tickets are not eligible for this fixture Turnstiles will be open from 6.30pm with the bars open to all supporters Brian Statham was named Caretaker Manager on March 16th following the resignation of Rod Stringer Statham came through the youth ranks at Tottenham Hotspur making 28 senior league appearances during his time at White Hart Lane After spending loan stints with Reading and AFC Bournemouth he made the move to Brentford in 1992 where he enjoyed his best playing days representing the Bees on more than 200 occasions in all competitions helping them to the Division Three title in 1993 Brian’s son Maxwell currently represents the Wings in his second spell with the club Welling United were crowned Kent Senior Cup winners at Priestfield Stadium on Wednesday with a 1-0 final victory over Ebbsfleet United An excellent Wings showing was punctuated by Josh Redfearn’s first-half winner before Brian Statham’s side put in an excellent defensive display in the second period to keep their National League opponents at bay and ensure the trophy would be coming back to Park View Road for the first time since 2009 A lively first half saw the action swing from end to end in what was an entertaining encounter at the home of Gillingham Ebbsfleet came out of the traps early with George Moncur hitting the crossbar with a well-struck free-kick on six minutes before Dominic Poleon had one cleared off the line by Maxwell Statham moments later The Wings looked bright themselves with debutant Jez Davies firing just wide at the other end before Moncur hit the woodwork once again for Fleet it was Welling who took a deserved lead as Redfearn rounded off a fine move – the striker was played into the box on the left-hand side and he kept his cool to place his shot past keeper Felix Goddard and into the back of the net Ebbsfleet continued to look dangerous in attack as they went in search of an equaliser and hit the woodwork for a third time when Poleon struck the post before the former Leeds United man clipped another one off the top of the bar not long after The action slowed down somewhat in the second half as Welling worked to manage and maintain their lead they came close to doubling that lead on 55 minutes when Redfearn broke quickly and got into the box before squaring for Taylor-Crossdale who turned and saw his effort well blocked and  just over from close range there was very little in the way of chances for either side throughout the second half and Welling expertly kept Fleet at bay as they searched in vain for a way back the Wings faithful were able to enjoy the celebrations of a trophy lift as their team secured the Kent Senior Cup for the the fourth time in the club’s history Booked: Olagunju 43 (foul on Taylor-Crossdale) Welling United booked their place in the quarter-finals of the London Senior Cup with a 2-1 victory over Bromley at Park View Road on Tuesday evening After falling behind to a Danai Hassain goal before the 20-minute mark the Wings hit back through Jack Burchell’s strike before half-time while Martell Taylor-Crossdale’s penalty early in the second strike proved to be the difference It proved to be a competitive tie against a youthful Ravens side – indeed it was the visitors who took the lead with 19 minutes on the clock Rhys Lovett made a good initial save from George Evans’ effort but there was nothing he could do to prevent Hassain putting away the rebound The Wings were level five minutes before the break Finn Ballard-McBride was denied by a brilliant point-blank save from Bromley keeper James Batt before the ball was worked back to Burchell who finished nicely into the bottom left-hand corner Welling began to take control in the second half and got themselves ahead on 49 minutes via the penalty spot after the impressive Sahid Kamara was hauled to the ground Taylor-Crossdale stepped up and made no mistake sending the keeper the wrong way to make it 2-1 from 12 yards Kamara drew two more excellent saves from Batt the latter being flicked up onto the crossbar while Josh Redfearn fired over as the Wings went in search of a third But two goals would be enough to ensure their safe passage through to the quarter-finals Matches Players LTFC+ Tickets & Hospitality Club xemailDevelopment squad keeper Henry Blackledge has joined National League South Welling United on an emergency loan The 19-year-old Australian goes into the squad for the Wings’ final game of the season at home to Salisbury this afternoon å © Copyright of Luton Town Football Clubtest We have been made aware that there were incidents of homophobic abuse and egg throwing outside the ground following our fixture against Worthing on Saturday We wish to make it clear that we deplore such behaviour which has detracted from the fantastic team performance We believe that those involved were a group of young men who only attend Welling matches very occasionally We will co-operate fully with the police to identify those involved If they can be identified they will be banned from Welling matches and we will support any applications for football banning orders banning the perpetrators from all levels of football We wish to make it clear that we do not want people who behave in that way at our matches You are not Welling supporters and you damage the reputation of the club at a time when we are seeking to build links with our local community We will be reviewing the security measures we have in place within the ground although there were no incidents during the match We want to make Park View Road a welcoming place for everyone to watch football If anyone does no share our vision then please stay away Welling United return home to Park View Road as they host Hornchurch in DA16 on Saturday (3pm) The Wings will go into the game in positive mood following their Kent Senior Cup heroics over Ebbsfleet United and will need to convert their cup efforts into the league if they are going to stage a fightback against the threat of relegation Welling currently sit in 22nd position in National League South seven points from safety with five games left to play Brian Statham will be unable to call on the suspended Gene Kennedy Daniel Martin and Chiori Johnson are likely to be ruled out with injury Hornchurch have enjoyed a stable first season at step two after winning promotion last term They occupy 12th position in the league table with 14 wins 13 draws and 14 defeats from their 41 games played Their last six outings have seen them win one with their most recent outing ending in a 4-2 defeat at home to Weston-super-Mare last weekend Welling United earned a point on the road from a goalless draw at Hornchurch on the August Bank Holiday Monday The two sides played out a closely-contested first half without giving much away in terms of clear-cut chances Tickets for Saturday’s clash against Hornchurch are available to purchase online in advance and will also be available for cash and card at the turnstiles on the day of the match with a £1 increase on adult Tickets bought at the turnstiles will be priced £17 adults Big screens will be on in both the Fans Zone and Wings Bar with the Everton v Arsenal game being shown live on TNT Sports Watch back the goals and key moments from the Wings' clash with Hampton & Richmond and the Beveree Stadium Welling United claimed their place in the final of the Kent Senior Cup thanks to late drama and a penalty shootout victory over Dover Athletic at Park View Road on Tuesday evening Eniye Amgbaduba’s fortunate first-half goall put the Whites ahead and it looked as if it would be them heading to the final but a Riccardo Di Trolio equaliser in deep deep injury time ensured the tie would be decided on penalties with the Wings winning through 5-4 from spot-kicks A tough first half saw the hosts fall behind after 34 minutes – and it was somewhat of a freak goal His attempted kick out was charged down by Amgbaduba with the ball bouncing back off the big Dover striker and settling in the net Welling’s only real sight of goal in the first half came via a free-kick with Harvey Walker dipping his effort just over the bar from 20 yards The Wings were vastly improved when they emerged for the second half and applied plenty of pressure as they went in search of an equaliser but that killer opportunity continued to prove elusive they left themselves exposed as Dover staged a quick counter-attack with Francis Mompolo getting into the box one-on-one only to be denied by an excellent Lovett save Josh Redfearn saw a header tipped over by a good save but it seemed that it would the closest the home side would come as they just could not turn their possession into a goal Dover’s ‘gamesmanship’ ensured that there would be a very healthy amount of injury time and Welling took advantage pouncing in the 11th minute of time added on A free-kick from the left dropped to Di Trolio who guided the ball into the bottom corner forcing the game to penalties in dramatic fashion with Roman Charles-Cook seeing his penalty saved before Gene Kennedy put Welling’s opener wide forcing the shootout into sudden death and when Mensah crashed his effort against the bar it was up to Martell Taylor-Crossdale to be the hero dispatching his penalty to send his side into the final Welling now have a showpiece final to look forward to which is set to take place at Gillingham’s Priestfield Stadium with either Ebbsfleet United or Tonbridge Angels lying in wait for a right to lift the trophy Welling United slipped to defeat at the death to Hemel Hempstead Town at Park View Road on Tuesday evening the Wings pulled themselves level shortly after thanks to Sahid Kamara as it looked like they were heading for a first point under caretaker boss Brian Statham But a 95th-minute penalty awarded to the visitors – their second of the evening after a first-half spot-kick was saved – stole the points for the side from Hertfordshire The hosts looked bright in the first half and looked dangerous going forwards despite not finding the net in the opening 45 minutes before lifting an effort over the bar early on while the dangerous-looking Sahid Kamara tested keeper Craig King with an effort at his near post Kamara saw another shot deflect just over after he twisted and turned in the box while Zain Walker’s effort from distance was well saved the Tudors came close themselves on 25 minutes when Millar Matthews-Lewis’ effort fizzed just past the post And after the referee bizarrely awarded a corner when there was no apparent deflection the hosts were made to force the ball off the line when the delivery was directed towards goal Hemel were given the opportunity to open the scoring when they were awarded a penalty following a foul in the box Oliver Lynch stepped up and he would be denied not once but twice – first from Rhys Lovett’s excellent save diving to his left to keep out the forward’s spot-kick before Chiori Johnson rushed in to clear his rebound off the line the Wings came close at the other end when Sam Cornish laid off for Walker in the box the home side had plenty of chances to go into the break with an advantage and very nearly did late in the half when King dropped a catch leaving Kamara to pull the ball back across the box for Gene Kennedy whose goalbound shot was cleared off the line by a green shirt the game slowed down somewhat in the second with little in the way of chances for either side it wasn’t until the away side finally opened the scoring on 77 minutes that the first opening of the half presented itself – Brandon Barzey’s cross from the left found its way to Oliver Lynch at the back post Welling fought back to equalise and they did so in style Kamara shaped up on the edge of the box and found the bottom left-hand corner with an excellent strike to secure his first goal for the club and what looked like a point But there would be one more twist in the tale when Hemel were awarded their second penalty of the evening deep in injury time A speculative shot into the box was adjudged to have struck a Welling arm and a different penalty taker was put forward in Joe White who went one better than his colleague Lynch by stroking his spot-kick into the net The Wings will go again as they host league leaders Worthing at Park View Road on Saturday Ten-man Welling United fell to a 4-1 defeat at Chesham United at The Meadow on Saturday afternoon the game sparked into life after the break with the hosts taking an early lead before Riccardo Di Trolio hit back soon after punctuated by Gene Kennedy’s straight red card with defeat edging them further towards the relegation trapdoor There was nothing to report in the first 45 with no chances presenting itself for either side as the teams somewhat cancelled each other out in the centre of the park The Wings received a blow early in the second half when they were forced into a change with slipper Dave Winfield limping off just four minutes after the restart And another blow would follow swiftly with the home side taking the lead after 54 minutes After Welling failed to clear their lines from a ball into the box from the left it eventually fell to Nathan Minhas who finished from 10 yards to make it 1-0 with what was the first shot of the afternoon finding a leveller just four minutes later A corner caused problems for Chesham and it was leaving Di Trolio free to bundle the ball over the line to restore parity Having waited so long for even a shot in anger during the first half it was somewhat ironic that the goals started flying in after the restart only a further four minutes would elapse before we saw the third goal of the afternoon – unfortunately it came the way of the hosts Ryan Upward was the man to restore Chesham’s lead picking out the top left-hand corner with an angled strike from outside the box to make it 2-1 Welling found it difficult to find a way back for a second time and their job was made more difficult 12 minutes from time when Kennedy was given his marching orders for dissent following what was believed to be an exchange of words with the referee following the award of a free-kick on halfway The Wings’ afternoon was compounded in injury time when the home side added a third With Rhys Lovett caught upfield from a quick Chesham break sub Samson Esan was able to take advantage And it would go from bad to worse even deeper into injury time when Joe Grant added a fourth from close range The Wings will now turn their attention to the Kent Senior Cup final on Wednesday when they take on Ebbsfleet United at Priestfield Stadium for the right to lift some silverware Booked: Winfield 44 (unsporting behaviour) Welling United go head-to-head with Ebbsfleet United at the Priestfield Stadium on Wednesday evening in the Kent Senior Cup final for the right to lift silverware (7.45pm) The showpiece final provides a welcome distraction following the disappointment of last weekend’s defeat at Chesham United and provides the opportunity for the Wings to claim the trophy for the fourth time in the club’s history Welling’s path to the final has seen them overcome Maidstone United 2-1 at home in the second round before claiming a 4-3 win at Phoenix Sports in the quarter-finals That dramatic last-eight tie set up a semi-final clash with Dover Athletic at Park View Road which ended in dramatic fashion as Riccardo Di Trolio’s equaliser in the 13th minute of injury time forced penalties has seen them beat Gillingham 3-1 in round two before squeezing past Bromley on penalties following a 1-1 draw in the quarter-finals They then booked their place in Wednesday’s final with a 1-0 semi-final victory over Tonbridge Angels Should the game end in a draw after 90 minutes on Wednesday evening the tie will go straight to a penalty shootout to determine the winners A difficult season has seen Ebbsfleet struggle at the foot of the National League table this season with relegation confirmed following a 3-3 draw at Aldershot Town on March 22nd Danny Searle was relieved of his duties as Manager in September before Harry Watling took over on the touchline only to depart after three months in December having served a Fleet player after arriving at the Kuflink Stadium in 2022 They come into the final off the back off a 2-2 draw at home with Altrincham on Saturday The Wings have lifted the Kent Senior Cup on three occasions Their other two final victories came in 1986 and 1999 Last season saw Welling bow out of the competition at the second round stage following defeat at Sevenoaks Town Wednesday will be their eighth appearance in the final Ebbsfleet have appeared in 14 Kent Senior Cup finals winning the competition on eight occasions – in 1949 suffering a 4-0 defeat to Maidstone United The Wings have been allocated the Gordon Road Stand All tickets must be purchased online in advance with no sales available from the ground on the evening of the game Wings fans not able to make Wednesday’s final can follow all the action with live commentary thanks to Radio Wings You can join Nigel Jones in the commentary box by clicking here come kick off. Radio Wings will be providing coverage of Chesham United v Welling United LIVE from The Meadow on Saturday (3pm) Welling United are delighted to confirm Ryan Mason and his business Funky Group as a major investor into the club Funky Group’s investment will secure financial stability and enable the club to invest in the infrastructure both on and off the pitch to help develop the club with new facilities for the benefit of all supporters and the local community Welling United owner and Chairman said: “I am delighted to have secured our new investors and this will create exciting times on the next steps of our club’s journey.” Ryan Mason added: “We are looking forward to building and developing the club on and off the pitch in the coming months and years “It’s a very exciting time for Welling United and I’m very proud that we can help play our part towards a better future for the club.” Funky Group is a luxury collection of businesses which has expanded their portfolio to include seven luxury hospitality locations across the UK their collection features a fine art gallery a DAB and FM (FM available in Canary Islands & Balearics regions) radio station and two further hospitality sites in the Canary Islands Click here to find out more about the Funky Group (https://www.thefunkycollection.com/) Families who attend Welling Salvation Army in London have been enjoying a cracking range of fun activities in the run up to Easter.  Anyone who receives support from the Community Pantry at Welling clothes and other items to people on a low income Ingredients included in the bag were cornflakes cake cases and mini eggs for people to create their own treats at home.  Welling Salvation Army has also given over 200 Easter bags to children containing chocolates activity books and a choice of games and craft activities Last weekend also saw an Easter egg hunt take place Over 100 little knitted chickens containing eggs and 50 colourful eggs were hidden in Welling and families could pick up clue sheets at Welling Salvation Army church to help them find the treasures The Community Pantry at Welling Salvation Army opens on a Friday and includes a hot lunch open to anyone who comes in for support The church has run additional Easter activities for children at the lunch club and pantry last week and again this week.  Katy Shubotham commented: “The cost-of-living crisis means some of the parents we support struggle to afford holiday activities which they feel sad about so we wanted to help ensure our families could have fun over Easter.  right on the high street and we believe as a church that it is our duty to positively contribute to our community Seeing the smiling faces of families leaving our activities brings our church so much joy and we will continue to do what we can to help people keep smiling in the future.” An Easter Service will take place at Welling Salvation Army church on Good Friday at 10am and there will be a Walk of Witness at 11.15am The Community Pantry will open from 1pm – 3pm.  To find out more about the work of Welling Salvation Army visit: https://www.salvationarmy.org.uk/welling Copyright © The Salvation Army 2025 The Salvation Army is a Christian church and registered charity in England (214779) Scotland (SC009359) and the Republic of Ireland (CHY6399) The Salvation Army Territorial Headquarters Worthing fell to their first defeat in six matches as two goals from Gene Kennedy earned Welling United the points in the National League South As the afternoon reached 5pm the referee’s whistle hurled the curtain on this one with Welling celebrating having executed a gameplan to utmost perfection Few may have expected a side winless in 10 and devoid of any confidence to dismiss the league leaders and from a Worthing persuasion not a particularly cheery one But what better a setting than the J Hearnden Skip Hire Community Stadium The most non-league looking ground with the name to boot Welling made this one incredibly hard for a side used to play on an artificial surface their form and league position suggest otherwise But at home in particular they never give an opposition side an inch they made life a misery and created an array of opportunities that might have had the opening half even further away from Worthing’s grip The second half was just pure gamesmanship Any team down the bottom would do the same Worthing were right up against the Welling waves of attack constantly a direct threat that made Sam Beard’s head spin for it was understandably bobbly with Welling sharing this ground with Erith & Belvedere The Reds were pushed back from an early minute Despite the myriad issues Welling face they can field a team of genuine quality Striker Scott Kashket has only just exited the EFL after a flurry of successful stints There was scarcely a second ball that Worthing won Welling had delivered a barrage of balls into the box throughout the opening half They just couldn’t get a home head on the end of it 10 minutes before the referee called a halt on the opening half Welling were ahead and headed across Lucas Covolan as the ‘keeper had gambled on a near post attempt moving the ball quicker and with more intent They may have been without a win in their previous 10 matches but none of those had they wilted Worthing were never able to sustain possession in that opening half these were three points Worthing could hardly afford to drop There was a nice moment shortly after the break that was patient It was the Worthing way: swift passes and effortless movement where the ball just drifts towards the net with ease Positive signs that the style and patterns could be implemented after all It wasn’t until midway through the second half that the pendulum began to turn in Worthing’s favour It had taken time – over an hour in fact – but Agutter’s side were beginning to show signs of fight Still with the feeling that this just wouldn’t be Worthing’s game Within the space of two minutes Temi Babalola had two fine chances to draw the Reds level They were not simple – the first forced Rhys Lovett into an exquisite save down low to his right A minute later he was out in a flash to deny the one-on-one after Welling’s defence had parted like the Red Sea The false belief had left Worthing exposed for the hosts to burst through prey on Sam Packham’s errant pass and present Kennedy with time and space to slot home with the entire goal to aim at From that moment Welling just did everything in their power to ensure Lovett would not be tested in the host’s goal and as time rolled on and the Reds’ frustration began to grow and swell with the passing of the afternoon the full-time whistle arrived before any darker coloured cards were brandished Agutter won’t be pleased about much that he saw on this late March afternoon but he will be content with the quick turnaround Tuesday night is a chance for an immediate response In moments like these it’s important to not let the heads drop too much Worthing’s last defeat spawned a five-game winning run and you can guess who’ll be lifting the title in just over a month’s time Sussex Transport Community Stadium Woodside Road Worthing West Sussex BN14 7HQ Gilbert Investments Limited & Barry Hunter The Bees had a good chance to take the lead on four minutes when Emeka Peters played skipper for the game Max Dickov in on goal with a delightful pass with the outside of his right boot The striker tried to slot the ball under Welling keeper Rhys Lovett but couldn't quite beat him and the ball trailed wide for a corner Martell Taylor-Crossdale fizzed a shot just wide of Marley Tavaziva's right-hand post for the home side three minutes later Headman then had another headed effort from Ollie Shield's corner with just over 10 minutes played but Lovett just managed to keep it from crossing the line Tavaziva had his first save to make on 18 minutes getting down really well to his right to hold on to a dipping volley from Sam Cornish that bounced just in front of him on the bobbly pitch a dangerous ball across the six-yard box from Taylor-Crossdale looked certain to deflect off a body and in but the young Bees did well to scramble the ball away Deon Moore sent a swerving effort just wide of the Brentford top-right corner Dickov broke into the box and was denied at his feet by Lovett but the ball fell kindly to Peters who tucked into an empty net on the rebound Adam Poliakov looked to double the advantage before the break with an excellent drive towards goal and a fierce strike that was parried by the Wings' keeper Caelan Avenell stretched to try and turn home the second effort but he couldn't get a good enough contact on the ball Taylor-Crossdale struck from inside the box with a tidy finish into the side netting in the fourth minute of time added on and the sides went into the interval level Brentford started the second half quickly and restored their lead within five minutes Poliakov reacted quickest to Vonnte Williams' corner that had dropped in the box and fired through the bodies to make it 2-1 A cross from the right scuffed off the surface and Tavaziva could only divert the ball into the path of Moore The young Bees' keeper was called into action again on 63 minutes when a deflected shot looped up in the air and he had to be brave to claim the ball at the feet of the onrushing Moore Peters almost had his second of the game after some quick stepovers on the left followed by a deflected shot that flicked agonisingly wide of the Welling net diving to his left and getting a strong hand on Moore's effort to tip the ball behind for a corner latching on to a free-kick at the back post before substitute Michel Boni connected with Poliakov's cross but lifted his effort over seconds later It seemed as though the tie was destined for penalties until Saunders' side won it in the fifth minute of stoppage-time cut back inside on the right and find a composed ball across the six-yard box which was met by substitute Kaya Halil to win the game The young Bees are next in action in a huge match against Sheffield Wednesday Under-21s at Gtech Community Stadium on Monday 14 April. You can buy tickets for the fixture here. Welling United can confirm that applications for the position of the club’s First-Team Manager are now open The club are looking for applicants who have experience and a proven track record in non-League football and can prove and deliver strong leadership and motivational skills The ideal candidate will be available to take charge of the Wings following the conclusion of the 2024/25 season as the club prepares for the 2025/26 campaign Applications, which should include a CV, should be sent to info@wellingunited.com for consideration