What a refreshing change this week made. Put quite simply, we won! Not only a victory but with a clean sheet as well. The FA Trophy may not be the glamorous tournament the FA Cup is but when it's the only one you are left in, it matters! OK, we are still in the Sussex Senior Cup but that doesn't have Wembley as a reward (although Priory Lane is a very close second!) The Park Side Road ground looked no different to the last time we visited and it is safe to say that no improvements had been made to the home of The Wings. It still had all the olde worlde charm of a lower league football club. Call me old fashioned but there is something about a playing surface that is covered with fallen leaves.

Once again, I had the pleasure of taking first team members and committee entourage to the game and, having parked up, was met by the sight of one Loui Fazakerley crossing the main road just outside the ground. It was a nice touch on his part to say hello, shake me by the hand and have a quick chat. It's not the first time this has happened with former Boro players, and it's another example of the good side of Conference football.

This was of course a potential banana skin, with Welling having a good season in the Blue Square south(oh such fond memories). With a healthy Eastbourne contingent in the crowd, the lads in sky blue set about the task in hand. In all fairness, the Reds of DA16 never really posed a threat and with the silky skills of Liam Enver-Marum's knee, the all important goal and victory was secured. No-one expected it to be pretty football, and therefore nobody was disappointed. Could we have scored more and made it look a more convincing vistory. Well I guess you could say yes, but with a linesman that seemed to be studying for a semifore diploma, and an attacking line-up that out paced the referee's assistant, the offside rulings came fast and furious, albeit inaccurate on many occasions.

Now, there is an up and coming "elite" group of Sports fans that have been dedicating their time and effort in to promoting a new phenomenon this season. Matty Smart's Barmy Army was created this season and is going from strength to strength. Not only has the Eastbourne No.4 been exalted on a famous networking site that isn't called Bebo or MySpace, but many of his fellow team mates and friends have signed up. The list of this man's achievements grows each week, and some of Matt's feats defy logic. After all ,how many people do you know that have won a game of Connect 4 in three moves? The legend must be unique as it is said that Matt Smart once did a wheelie on a unicycle! If you want to know more of the man's heroics, then hunt down the "just for fun- fan club" and sign up. There is soon to be photographic evidence of one of his disciples doing a "dalek" at Welling in homage to Matt Smart, the Davros of the footballing world. (Yellow waste paper bins have their uses) Fast forward now to a cold and dreary Wednesday evening at Priory Lane, when Gillingham reserves were due to play. At first it was feared the game would be off, something that would have appealed to the Kent club as word has it they didn't want to come. I understand that a simple instruction from the league persuaded them otherwise, and rumour has it, the words "hefty fine" were sufficient to force the blue LDV Convoy minibus to trundle over the border to Sussex. The new frost protection covers had been put in place and had prevented our old friend Jack from spoiling the party. With the end of the year so close now, it is good to report that not once has the weather put paid to senior football this season.

As is usual in the ToteSport Combination, a blend of experience, youth and trialists took to the pitch, but I think the biggest smile came as Nathan Crabb wearing the No.10 lined up for his first game in over ten weeks. With the worry of the heart scare that has been hanging over his family finally laid to rest, the middle of the Crabb brothers could do what he does best. Yes, wear the most uncolour co-ordinated boots ever! I mean, would Gok Wan really allow such a clash? Seriously though, welcome back Nathan!

With a crowd that was affected by the cold and damp, I was assigned to steward the River Lane End with John Bonar. The first half passed us by with two spectators to keep in order. Not a difficult task I hear you all cry. If I say one was a certain Ann Crabb then the task takes on a different meaning. John and I were both poised in the event that should Nathan have scored, we would have controlled the surge... Alas for Ann, it was Andy Atkin that hit the Boro goal, so all remained calm.

The second 45 was a different ball game all together, with no-one wanting to join us. Well, when I say no-one, I did spot two Gills fans wander behind the goal, but it seemed they had in fact got lost returning to the Main Stand. So quiet was it that a short discussion took place between myself and the Boro keeper. He confirmed to me that he was a great deal warmer in his keepers shorts etc than when he was out the other Saturday night in Brighton!

This weekend sees us travel up North to visit Altrincham, and with winter looking ready to throw its worse at us soon, one can only hope we don't suffer a repeat of last season with a pitch declared frozen at the last minute. With one long haul already to rearrange thanks to the Chester debacle, we don't want a long distance back log building up!