Welling United booked their place in the third round of the Kent Senior Cup with a penalty shootout victory over Sittingbourne at Park View Road on Tuesday evening.
The Wings surrendered a two-goal lead after academy graduate duo Sam Bayford and Cameron Andrews had put the hosts 2-0 in front, but a goal either side of half-time brought the Bricks level.
With the scores level after 90 minutes, it all came down to a penalty shootout, with the visitors missing their sixth spot-kick to send Welling through.
The hosts started on the front foot and it wasn’t long before they took the lead with just four minutes on the clock.
Antony Papadopoulos’ low cross was half-cleared by the visiting defence as far as academy graduate Bayford who took a touch before dispatching an excellent, firm finish to open the scoring.
On 16 minutes, the lead was doubled from the penalty spot when skipper Andrews was fouled in the box by keeper Matt Cafer after the midfielder had dispossessed him in the box and it was Andrews who stepped up himself, coolly rolling his spot-kick into the bottom right-hand corner to send the Cafer the wrong way.
As the half wore on, Sittingbourne began to grow more into the game and they pulled one back on 23 minutes with a well-worked move, confidently finished by Duane Achaempong from the edge of the box.
The hosts continued to play with confidence, however, as they tested the Brickies’ defence further.
Cafer made an excellent save to tip Papadopoulos’ goal-bound effort away from the top corner, while Amadou Kassarate saw a header nodded off the line as the Wings took a narrow one-goal lead into the break.
Welling found it more difficult to get going after the break, while Sittingbourne grew in confidence, grabbing an equaliser in the 57th minute through Mario Quiassaca who turned in from close range from a right-wing cross.
And they came inches away from going ahead moments later when Henry Dasofunjo latched onto a flick-on to send a shot trickling back off the right-hand upright.
There was not much to separate the sides from there on in as the visitors continued to frustrate their hosts and it would come down to a penalty shootout to decide the winners after 90 minutes.
Andrews, Rob Howard, David Kamara and Enoch Muwonge all converted their spot-kicks for the Wings with the first three of their Sittingbourne counterparts following suit until Harrison Post put their fourth spot-kick over the bar.
Taofiq Olomowewe just had to put away Welling’s fifth for the winner, but he saw his effort saved, while keeper Cafer scored his side’s fifth to force sudden death.
Tom Dickens dispatched the next penalty and it all came down to Matt Warren for the Brickies, who saw his shot hit the post, leaving the Wings as the victors with a 5-4 penalty shootout win.
Welling United: McKenzie-Lyle, Howard, Olomowewe, Dickens, Musoke, Bayford (Lugboso 82), Kassarate (Kane 70), Andrews, Papadopoulos (Muwonge 69), Kamara, Simpson.
Subs (not used): Gumbrell.
Booked: Papadopoulos 50 (coming together with Gorham), Kamara 61 (foul on Punt)
Goals: Bayford 4, Andrews (pen) 16
Penalties: Andrews (scored), Howard (scored), Kamara (scored), Muwonge (score), Olomowewe (saved), Dickens (scores)
Sittingbourne: Cafer, Jones, Puemo, Gorham (Taffee 75), Davidson, Warren, Quiassaca, Punt, Dasofunjo, Acheampong (Tubb 82), Adoai (Horley 82).
Subs (not used): Bagasan. .
Booked: Gorham 50 (coming together with Papadopoulos)
Goals: Achaempong 23, Quiassaca 57
Penalties: Jones (scores), Quiassaca (scored), Dasofunjo (scored), Pont (missed), Cafer (scored), Warren (missed)
Referee: Kane Dempster
Att: 167
