I think it would be good for Kent football if we played Dartford in play-off final, says Jamie Day

WELLING UNITED player-manager Jamie Day has issued a rallying cry for fans’ to replicate the excellent vocal support that they gave his team during the first-leg when they face Sutton United again on Sunday.


The Wings came away from Gander Green Lane in the First Leg of the Blue Square Bet (Conference) South semi-final first leg play-off with a comfortable 2-1 victory.

They took a 25^th minute lead when central midfielder Lee Clarke finished off a fine ten-pass move with a diving header, before Sutton United grabbed a fortuitous equaliser when Craig Watkins’ low centre deflected off Jack Parkinson and then goalkeeper Craig Holloway, who was accredited with the own goal in the 66^th minute.

But a breakaway from Loick Pires set up Joe Healy, who’s first time flick with his left foot found the bottom corner just seven minutes later to hand Welling United the advantage going into Sunday’s make-or-break second-leg at Park View Road.

Day, 32, revealed what it was like to play in front of the 1,255 crowd at Gander Green Lane on Wednesday night.

“For me, I enjoyed it.  I thought the boys enjoyed it as well,” he said.

“We said to them it’s nothing to be nervous about and go and show the people who are watching what you can do as a side.

“They’ve been excellent through the season and not let themselves down.  They’ve done really well on Wednesday and we know that it’s far from done and we know it’s going to be a tough game on Sunday, but if we put in another good performance I’m confident we can get through to the final.”

Around 400 fans made the short trip to Sutton on Wednesday and Day would like to hear similar support from the open Park View Road terraces on Sunday.

He said: “The support has been excellent.  We know with Welling you get a hardcore support who follow the club through thick and thin and hone and away.

“It does spur the boys on and they were grateful for the fantastic support on Wednesday and we want a big crowd on Sunday and people to come out and watch and support the team.

“Hopefully we can put in a performance that justifies how well we’ve played and hopefully the boys can do that.

“At times towards the end of the season gates dropped a little bit and I was disappointed with that.  When it is a big crowd and a decent atmosphere it helps the boys as well but hopefully we can get that.”

Paul Doswell’s side were denied the opportunity to play against a solid Welling United side who fought for everything all over the park.

Day said: “For me they (Sutton United) didn’t play particularly well in the first half but then looking at it, is that because our boys done that to them?

“Sutton can play a lot better but from my point of view we made them play the way they did.

“Sunday’s a different game and they only need a goal and their back on level terms.  They’re a good side, they finished fourth in the league and their there for a reason.

“If we’re on it and we perform how we can do, I’m hoping and confident we can get through.”

When asked how he is approaching the game, with his side leading 2-1 on aggregate (away goals do not count), Day replied, “We want to win it.  We go into every game wanting to win it.  We’ll go out and be positive and try and get the job done.

Welling United have lost just one league game on home soil, but Day admitted form goes out of the window at this stage of the season.

He said:  “It’s a good stat, but when you come to play-offs and important games like this stats again go out of the window so for us as long as we prepare right and we turn up in the right frame of mine hopefully I’m confident we can get the job done.”

Dartford came away from in-form Basingstoke Town with a 1-0 victory, courtesy of Lee Noble’s goal on the stroke of half-time on Wednesday night.

An all-Kent winner-takes-all showdown at Dartford’s Princes Park Stadium on Sunday 13 May would be the icing on the cake for what has been an exciting campaign for both Kent clubs.

If that was to be the case then the play-off final would attract a near capacity crowd.

Day, who left Dartford to take over following Andy Ford’s exit at Park View Road, said: “I think for Kent football it would be good.  For me we just want to get through the semi-final and get through to the final and then we’ll worry about who we’re playing then.

“The players and I aren’t looking that far forward.  We’re just concentrating and we’ll be looking to get the job done on Sunday and if we do that then we’ll worry about who were playing the following week.”

Day may need to call upon his 18-man squad, as certain key players hobbled off the Gander Green Lane pitch with knocks.  The team will be training tonight ahead of Sunday’s clash.

“We’ve got three or four people carrying knocks and they’ve seen the physio last night and today and we’ll asses them all on Saturday afternoon and then we’ll with what we’ve got squad wise and whose fit.

“We’ve got a decent squad for the first time in a long time.  We’ve got eighteen good players who can rotate round and won’t affect the starting eleven.

“We want to put the best players on the pitch if we can, but we’ve got a decent squad now that doesn’t affect it if we change one or two around.

“Everyone’s looking forward to it. I know the players are and the fans are from both sets and the managers are looking forward to it.  It’s exciting and hopefully we can get a good result and move on.”

Welling United have confirmed that it is ALL pay on Sunday – season tickets are NOT valid.

Admission prices are:
£12 (adults)
£7 (under 16s and over 60s)
£3 (under 12s with a paying adult)

Visit Welling United's website: www.wellingunited.com


Welling United  v  Sutton United
Blue Square Bet South Play-Off Semi-Final Second Leg
Sunday 6^th May 2012
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Park View Road, Welling, Kent DA16 1SY