KENT SENIOR CUP PREVIEW | Welling United v Dover Athletic

Welling United will be eyeing up a place in the Kent Senior Cup final as they host Dover Athletic at Park View Road on Tuesday evening (7.45pm).

The Wings take on the Whites in the semi-final clash for the right to head to the final and take one step closer to lifting the silverware.

Rod Stringer’s men booked their place in the last four thanks to a 4-3 victory at Phoenix Sports in the quarter-finals in December, having previously beaten Maidstone United 2-1 at home in the previous round.

Dover, meanwhile, secured a 3-1 win over Cray Valley (PM) at home in the second round, before defeating Deal Town 2-0 at Crabble in the last eight.

The winners will take on either Ebbsfleet United or Tonbridge Angels in the final. Should the tie finish in a draw after 90 minutes, the match will be decided by a penalty shootout.

THE OPPOSITION

Dover currently sit in fifth position in the Isthmian League Premier Division, just inside of the play-off places as they look to make an immediate return to step two following their relegation last term.

They have won 17, drawn five and lost nine of their 31 league games played, so far, but have lost their last three outings – most recently suffering a 2-0 defeat at home to Whitehawk on Saturday.

CUP HISTORY

The Wings have lifted the Kent Senior Cup on three occasions, with the last success coming in 2009. Their other two final victories came in 1986 and 1999.

Last season saw Welling bow out of the competition at the second round stage following defeat at Sevenoaks Town.

Should they defeat their opponents on Tuesday evening, it will be their eighth appearance in the final.

Dover are one of the most successful clubs in the history of the Kent Senior Cup having reached the final on 17 occasions, lifting the trophy nine times, most recently in 2017 when they defeated the Wings.

The Whites were disqualified from the competition last season after fielding an ineligible player in their 4-0 victory over Beckenham Town, leading to Beckenham being reinstated in the quarter-finals.