By Mark Doig at Park View Road
FOLLOWING their FA Cup exit the previous weekend, Welling United were knocked out of the FA Trophy third qualifying round 5-4 on penalties by Chertsey Town at Park View Road.
Although the Wings and the visitors are in different leagues, both are plying their trade at Step 3 and are in the upper reaches of their respective tables. Ryan Maxwell’s team sit in second place in the Isthmian League Premier Division while the Curfews are fourth in the Southern League Premier South Division.
Leo Farruch created a great chance for the visitors in the early exchanges when he set up Nathan Minhas but he could only stab it over from close range. Lekan Majoyegbe then headed wide for the Wings after he had been picked out by Ryan Blackman’s corner.
Both teams had shots off target before Chertsey went ahead after a quarter of an hour. Farruch was again the creator with a great run down the left and his cross found its way to Gary Abisogun who fired past the Wings’ debutant goalkeeper Phil Ogayi.
Another Blackman corner caused the Curfews difficulties and it took a clearance off the line to deny Nathan Bertram-Cooper before Minhas missed his second good chance when his meek shot was claimed easily by Ogayi.
As half-time approached, the Wings drew level. Sam Smith crossed, Ade Azeez nodded it on, and Majoyegbe got on the end of it to force it into the net.
They might have gone ahead moments later when Ogayi picked out Azeez with a long pass forward. Azeez headed it on, and Fumnaya Shomotun bore down on goal. He shot early towards the bottom corner but Luke Wynne-Roberts pushed it round the post at full stretch.
Farruch had a shot saved easily by Ogayi before the first half drew to a close.
Early in the second period, Wynne-Roberts again denied Shomotun when he tipped over acrobatically.
Substitute Kaan Bennett was the next Welling player to be thwarted by an excellent save by Wynne-Roberts as the hosts continued to press. Blackman then sent Azeez clear and when he tried to go round the goalkeeper, Wynne-Roberts was able to stick out a hand and push it away. Although Azeez got a shot away, he didn’t have the time to settle himself and he fired over.
Against the run of play, the Curfews went back ahead. Jamie Reynolds sent over a corner, it was headed out and Wayne Ridgley ran 80 yards before unleashing an unstoppable effort into the top corner.
When Damaray Anyadike’s low cross evaded three Welling players it looked like the tie was done, however, Welling kept fighting and equalised in the fifth of six stoppage-time minutes. Zak O’Keefe hurled in a long throw, Chertsey were unable to clear, and it fell to Majoyegbe to fire home.
There are no replays or extra-time in the FA Trophy so it was straight to penalties. After both teams had converted their first spot kicks, O’Keefe skied Welling’s second. The visitors were perfect with five out of five and it was they who progressed.
Welling are back in league action on Saturday when they host AFC Whyteleafe (3pm).
Welling United: Ogayi; O’Keefe, Majoyegbe, Bertram-Cooper, Reynolds; Blackman (Maragh 87); Smith (Miller-Rodney 46); Howard (Anyadike 58), Kingsford (Bennett 46), Shomotun; Azeez (Melvin-Lambert 69).
Substitutes not used: None.
