We face a tall order to reach the play-off's, admits Ford

WELLING UNITED boss Andy Ford admits finishing in the Blue Square South play-off places remains a “tall order” - but yesterday’s 4-0 win over Hampton & Richmond keeps him hopeful indeed, writes Stephen McCartney.

Goals from Moses Ademola, a brace from James Baker and Jack Parkinson’s first goal for the club, wrapped up a perfect 4-0 win over the second placed side at Park View Road.

But the Wings go into their last nine league games in seventh place in the table, nine points adrift of Hayes & Yeading, who occupy the final play-off berth.

But Ford, speaking to BBC Radio Kent yesterday, has challenged his side to keep their play-off hopes alive.

“We’ve got to put five wins together back-to-back, I think, to really stand any chance,” he said.

“We’ve just dropped some points recently, away to Basingstoke and Braintree, where we’ve drawn. If we could’ve turned them into wins, we’d still be very much in contention, but I think it’s a tall order at the moment.”

Reflecting on yesterday’s victory, Ford added, “Very good result, we played very well as well and a clean sheet, so a very happy day.”

The Wings host Ramsgate in the semi-finals of the Kent Senior Cup on Tuesday night before travelling to Blue Square Premier bound AFC Wimbledon next weekend.

“We don’t fear anybody anyway to be honest, well I don’t,” insisted Ford.

“We’ve got a very young side, our average age must be around 22, something like that, so we’re one of the younger sides in the division I think.

“Sometimes they have some fear because they’re inexperienced and sometimes they don’t have any fear - but they played very well today.”

Ford did, however, explain why he relegated leading goalscorer Charlie Sheringham to the substitutes bench.

“I was in a fantastic position to be able to (rest him),” said Ford. “Charlie has played about 30-odd games this season and that’s as many as he’s ever played in one season.

“He’s been in academy’s and only played 15 games a season. He’s come out of full-time football, he’s got a job, he works in the city, so it’s a massive change for him.

“I just felt he looked a bit tired, a little bit jaded over the last few weeks, and I had wanted to give him a little bit of a rest and not been able to do it but today I felt I had a chance to do it.

“We are lucky to have three strikers, where we’ve only had two for a long part of the season and having three obviously is the right way to do it.”

The Kent Senior Cup tie against a Ramsgate side that are threatened with relegation from the Ryman Premier League, will be halfway through a “big week” for the Wings.

“We’ve got the Kent semi-final and then we’ve got Wimbledon away on Saturday, so we’ve got a big week, with Hampton obviously today,” said Ford.

“Then after that, I think we’ve played most of the big contenders, and go to the bottom of the league to play the Bognor’s and the Fisher’s and those sort of teams, which can always be a danger.

“We’ll take one game at a time and see if we can win every game we play in. That’s the attitude we’ve got to have and if win them we’ll be in the play-off’s. If we don’t, we won’t!”

Quotes courtesy of BBC Radio Kent: www.bbc.co.uk/kent

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

Welling United v Ramsgate
Kent Senior Cup Semi-Final
Tuesday 17^th March 2009
Kick Off 7:45pm
At Park View Road, Welling, Kent DA16 1SY