If we're not mentally prepared for a battle we'll come unstuck, warns Welling United boss Jamie Day

TABLE-TOPPING Welling United boss Jamie Day says he is expecting a battle against Billericay Town on Saturday.



The Wings travel to Essex sitting three points clear of the Blue Square Bet (Conference) South table, with 68 points from 32 games, after romping to a 4-1 win over Tonbridge Angels on Tuesday night, which extended their unbeaten home run to eighteen games.

Billericay Town are second-from-bottom in the table, with 32 points from 30 games and are four points adrift of safety.

Looking ahead to their trip to New Lodge, Day said:  ”It’s going to be tough. We’ve played extremely well here and got a good result.

”I’ve heard the pitch isn’t great. They’re going to be big, strong, direct and they’re going to be a handful.  They’re going to be battling (to escape) relegation so if we’re not mentally prepared for a battle, we’re going to come unstuck and get beat.”

Day and his management team (including Barry Ashby and Dean Frost) has worked miracles to edge three points clear of Salisbury City, with two games in hand over the full-time Wiltshire outfit.

”The boys are full of great team spirit and we look to win every game if we possibly can,” said Day.

”I felt we played well on Tuesday night and we have to take that into Saturday’s game.  It’s not going to be easy.

”They’ve got some big boys and they play a certain way and we have to deal with that if we don’t then we’ll come away with nothing.

”We’ve got a good group of players and we have to take that into Saturday’s game and look to get another three points if we can.”

The Wings finished in third-place last season, but missed out on promotion after losing to their Kent rivals Dartford in last season’s play-off final and Day wants to guide the club to the top flight of non-league football to join Tony Burman’s side.

”We’ve done well this year,” said Day.  “We’re disappointed last year to miss out on the play-offs but we had a good season and we’re having a good season up until now.

”We’ve just got to keep it going. We’ve got to stand on the front foot. We’ve got ourselves in a good position through hard work and team spirit and also not forgetting that we have got technically good players.

”We’ve got ten games. We have to win as many as we can and hopefully make a good season an excellent one.”

Day revealed on Tuesday night that his new recruit, target-man Jake Reid, who is on loan from Blue Square Bet Premier side AFC Telford United, lives in Bristol.

”After Billericay, we’ve got two away games down his way (Truro on 23 March and Salisbury on 6 April), which is a bonus but it just shows you dedication and a player we’ve brought in who wants to try to achieve something as well.

”It’s a long way to come for training and games but he’s prepared to do it because he wants to help out and try to get us promoted so he’s a good addition to our squad.”

Reflecting on his debut against the Angels, Day added: “He showed he’s a good target man, good hold up player and created a few chances. He’s good in the air so he’s a good addition to the four strikers we’ve already got.”

Meanwhile, for those supporters not travelling to Billericay, Kent League leaders Erith & Belvedere play FA Carlsberg Vase Semi-Finalists Tunbridge Wells at Park View Road on Saturday (3pm), for a place in the Kent Senior Trophy Final up for grabs.

Visit Welling United’s website: www.pitchero.com/clubs/wellingutd

Billericay Town  v   Welling United
Blue Square Bet South
Saturday 16^th March 2013
Kick Off 3:00pm
at New Lodge, Blunts Wall Road, Billericay, Essex CM12 9SA