ANDY Ford has revealed he came very close to drafting in a new striker to Park View Road last week.

The Wings have been without Orlando Smith for virtually all of the campaign, although he did come off the bench in the second half to replace Richard Stevens during Saturday's 4-2 defeat at Eastleigh.

Charlie Sheringham had been expected to return for the trip to Hampshire, but Ford added his knee injury was a bit more serious than previously thought and the striker is likely to be on the sidelines for another couple of weeks.

The shortage of options up front, and the continued uncertainty over Orlando Smith's injury, prompted the manager to make his move but the deal was put on ice at the last minute.

Ford explained: "It is quite a delicate situation for me because there is still a major question mark over how fit Orlando Smith is.

"He did play on Saturday, but people need to remember he hasn't had any pre-season training at all so it is still a major gamble on my part to throw him in.

"The physios advised me against it on Saturday, but I decided it was a risk worth taking.

"I was trying to get someone else in last week and thought I had somebody.

"But the player, who was initially available, suddenly became unavailable and it didn't happen."

The manager added: "It is an ongoing situation, but I have to weigh up everything else now Orlando is available again.

"If Orlando is 100 per cent fit, I probably don't need him but if he breaks down again then I would still like to have the player I was after here to make sure we have enough cover."

Saturday's game in Hampshire was not without incident as the Wings finally rediscovered their scoring touch.

But the manager believes it was a series of incidents before and during the early stages of the game which ultimately cost his side.

Ford said: "Sonny Cobbs was going to play at left back, but he didn't travel with the rest of us because he lives in Brighton and got caught in traffic.

"He missed the kick-off and it is very difficult to put together a plan B when plan A has just gone out of the window.

"A couple of the goals we conceded were similar to the one which Spurs let in last night where they have hit people on the backside first before being deflected past the keeper.

"I made a few substitutions early in the second half and it was pretty much all one-way traffic from this point.

"Whereas the week before I felt we could play to midnight and still not score, I honestly believe we would have got something if the Eastleigh game had lasted another 10 minutes."

The Wings entertain Worcester City on Saturday, with Welling seeking their first three points since the 3-0 victory against Fisher on August 25.

Ford said: "Worcester have come up to this division and I will admit I don't know too much about them.

"We've had them watched, though, and I've got the report but my only concern is about how we play and prepare for the game."

The manager also downplayed the significance of reports elsewhere that Craig Braham-Barrett had declined to attend a trial at Nottingham Forest.

Ford added: "Yes Craig was invited to a training session there, but he said no and I don't really think anything should be read into it.

"The reality is I could easily get on the phone to Football League clubs and tell them I have any number of promising young players they could take a look at if I wished to."