Welling United bowed out of the FA Cup at the fourth-qualifying round stage despite a heroic showing at Boreham Wood on Saturday.
After losing two key players to injury in the first half in the form of Lewis White and keeper Ben Winterbottom, the Wings gave their National League opponents more than just a fright, only succumbing to an 86th minute goal at the Mangata Pay UK Stadium.
The Wings looked to get out of the blocks early and forced the first effort of the game just over a minute into proceedings when Antony Papadopolous let fly from the edge of the box.
Taking a deflection, it wrong-footed keeper Nathan Ashmore, but spun just wide of the post.
Boreham Wood began to enjoy more of the possession, forcing a number of corners early on which the visitors dealt with, but it was Welling who again came closer to opening the scoring at the other end on 20 minutes when Tristan Abrahams turned well in the box before firing inches past the right-hand upright.
Come the half-hour mark, the Wings received a blow when Lewis White was forced off with an arm injury, with Kan Adom replacing him on the left and, moments later, Danny Bloor’s men suffered another injury blow as a result of the hosts’ first meaningful shot on goal.
Tyrone Marsh’s low, powerful effort was kept out well by Ben Winterbottom, but he collided with teammate Cameron Green as he made his save, catching a boot in the face, leaving a nasty cut and another enforced substitute.
That saw academy graduate stopper Javarn Pitterson emerge from the bench to make his senior debut at the age of 19 between the sticks.
Despite the injury disruptions, the Wings had held their own in the first 45 (plus the 11 additional minutes) and, indeed, had come the closer to scoring.
That didn’t change into the second half with Welling coming even closer just a minute after the restart.
A corner delivery caused problems for Boreham Wood, only half clearing before it was worked back to Jack Burchell on the left-hand side of the box and he smacked the base of the left-hand post.
The Wings had the home side worried and they threatened again when Adom crossed low from the left and only needed the slightest of touched from Jephte Tanga in the middle to turn it in, but it evaded him as the ball skidded across the six-yard box.
Pitterson got his gloves warm with his first save of the afternoon when he stretched to keep out Lee Ndlovu from the edge of the box and he did similar to save from Angelo Balenta’s shot just before the hour mark.
The game began to stretch as the half wore on with both sides threatening with half chances – Tanga’s low drive and Papadopoulos’ swept effort seeing the Wings continue to give their National League counterparts plenty to think about.
But as the game entered its final throes, it was the home side who found the killer touch.
A free-kick 22 yards from goal gave Boreham Wood the opportunity to have a sight of goal and Marsh took the chance with both hands, plundering his direct set-piece straight into the far corner.
Welling pushed for a late leveller and came close when a low cross from the byline caused havoc, bouncing around the six-yard box, but just could not be forced in.
Adom saw a shot sail over, before having another saved, but they could not bag the goal that their efforts deserved as their FA Cup involvement came to an end for another season.
Boreham Wood: Ashmore, Coxe, Ilesanmi, Payne, Bush, Ndlovu, Marsh, Fyfield, Balanta (Abraham 74), Sousa (Stephens 87), Robinson.
Subs (not used): Abayomi, Whelan, Griffiths, Sass-Davies.
Booked: Fyfield 7 (foul on Abrahams), Payne 15 (foul on Papadopoulos)
Goal: Marsh 86
Welling United: Winterbottom (Pitterson 41), Lema, Byrd, Burchell, Green, Tanga, Kassarate (Muwonge 87), Odusanya, White (Adom 31), Papadopoulos, Abrahams.
Subs (not used): Curran, MacAllister, Bayford, Kamara.
Booked: Kassarate 85 (foul on Ilesanmi)
Referee: Nicholas Cooper
Att: 756 (226 from Welling)
