We have a real chance of making the play-offs, says Welling United boss Jamie Coyle

WELLING UNITED manager Jamie Coyle says he going for the play-offs during an exciting finale at the end of his first season in charge of the club.

The Wings sit in tenth-place in the Vanarama National League South table with 44 points on the board from their 29 league outings after beating St Albans City 3-1 at Park View Road last weekend.

Coyle’s men are only a couple of points adrift of seventh-placed side Truro City, who occupy the final play-off berth and travel to a Concord Rangers side that are in the bottom six on 34 points from 29 games, six points clear of the drop zone.

“We are preparing for the game tomorrow against a hard-working Concord team who pose a real threat in the final third,” said Coyle.

“Last time we met we ended up with a score draw, which both managers would’ve been disappointed with considering the way the game went.

“Last Saturday was one of the best performances of the season against a free-scoring St Albans side and to reduce a side like that to two or three shots on target, shows how well we defended as a team.

“Moving forward the message is clear, if we replicate the work rate we showed last Saturday on a consistent basis, then we have a real chance of making the play-offs.

“We have now won four out of our last five games and players have started to hit some excellent form. Bradley Goldberg has been unplayable at times in the last five weeks and with Jamie Philpott coming in (on loan from Millwall) now we have two players that are gaining a real understanding of eachothers games and I know I wouldn’t want to play against the two of them.

“In midfield, we have added real quality and equally the same work-rate in Ryan Hall. He will take some time at adjust from playing as a 10 at (Bostik Premier Division side) Merstham to an 11 for us, but he has done great so far.

“We are currently three points ahead of last season’s final points tally with a reduced budget and 13 games to play so we are in a good position but everyone at the club are hungry to push forward and make it a real exciting finish to the season.”

Adam Flanagan’s side have lost their last two games 1-0, losing at both Weston-super-Mare and Gloucester City but they are eight home games unbeaten, stretching back to their FA Cup defeat to Woking on 17 October 2017.

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Concord Rangers  v  Welling United
Vanarama National League South
Saturday 24 February 2018
Kick Off 3:00pm
at Thames Road, Canvey Island, Essex SS8 0HH