After back-to-back home games, United are back on the road tomorrow as they head to Park View Road to take on Welling.
With Paul Wotton’s side claiming four points from their Plainmoor outings v Aveley and Chippenham, the Yellow Army will be hoping a positive result tomorrow could see them head to the top of the fledgling National League South table, however they will be up against opponents that have proven themselves to be a tough nut to crack on their own patch in recent seasons.
Who’s the Boss?
Rod Stringer was appointed as The Wings First-Team Manager back in January, following the departure of previous boss Danny Bloor.
A vastly experienced manager on the non-league circuit, Stringer’s first managerial position was with Aveley, where he went on to guide The Millers to the Isthmian Division One North title in 2009. In 2011, he made the switch to Braintree Town, where he went on to enjoy further success, this time guiding The Iron to the National League South title
A five-year stint at Bishop’s Stortford followed, before in 2016 he moved on to Chelmsford City. During his time in charge, he led City to three play-off campaigns before departing in 2020. A return to management with Brentwood Town saw him again battling at the top end, as he led Town to the Isthmian Division One North play-off final.
How have they been doing?
Having looked condemned to the drop until Stringer’s arrival last term, an admirable escape effort saw them finish 2023/24 in 17th place, well clear of danger, and one place above The Gulls.
The opening seven games of the current campaign has been a largely inconsistent one for The Wings thus far, with two wins, a draw and three defeats leaving them in 18th position with seven points.
Of course, it’s still very early days, and a superb 4-1 win over Farnborough – the only team to down United’s colours so far – is ample proof that Welling are a match for any team in the division on their day.
Player to Watch
36 year-old defender Dave Winfield has always ensured his opponents know they’ve been in a game, and tomorrow is likely to be any exception.
Having gained plenty of EFL experience with the likes of Aldershot, Wycombe, Shrewsbury, York and Wimbledon, non-League outfits Ebbsfleet, Chelmsford, Bromley and Romford have all benefitted from his competitive nature since then, with Winfield continuing to be a force to be reckoned with at both ends of the field.
After being one of Rod Stringer’s first names on the team sheet during his time in charge at Chelmsford, it was therefore little surprise when he departed the Clarets to join forces with his former boss again in June.
Played For Both
Rhys Lovett’s arrival at Welling in the summer means there are now four ex-Gulls in Rod Stringer’s playing roster, with Lovett again linking up with Dan Martin, Jacob Mensah and Chiori Johnson.
27 year-old Lovett’s two-year stay at Plainmoor saw the popular goalkeeper provide admirable competition between the sticks for fellow glovesman Mark Halstead, with the popular stopper making 17 appearances in all competitions for the club.
After turning professional with Cheltenham Town, loan spells at Tiverton (twice), Shepton Mallet and Shortwood paved the way for a permanent switch to Gloucester, before Rhys moved onto a memorable stint at Maidenhead, where an appearance as an outfield substitute saw him get on the scoresheet v Boreham Wood on the final day of the 2020/21 season.
Billericay was his next port of call before being reunited with former Cheltenham boss Gary Johnson at Plainmoor back in 2022.
Previous Encounter
Welling 1 – 1 Torquay | National League | Saturday 12th September 2015
United’s record at Park View Road certainly isn’t the strongest, with The Gulls emerging with two draws and two defeats from their previous four visits to Park View Road.
Just under nine years ago though, Paul Cox’s side would have been pretty satisfied with their efforts. An early strike from Xavier Vidal saw Torquay on the back foot, however their spirits were lifted when Dan Butler levelled things up shortly after.
More drama wasn’t far away though, as Torquay goalkeeper Fabian Spiess received his marching orders with more than an hour remaining. The ten men of United held firm though, and eventually returned back to Devon with a valuable point.
Welling United v Torquay United | Saturday 7th September 2024 | 3pm KO | Park View Road, Welling, DA16 1SF