Welling United booked their place in the fourth qualifying round of the Emirates FA Cup with a replay. Victory over Gosport Borough at the J Hearnden Skip Hire Community Hire Stadium on Tuesday evening.
Despite falling behind, Danny Bloor’s men soon took control of the first half, netting through Tristan Abrahams and Crossley Lema’s brace.
The visitors gave the home side something to think about when they pulled a goal back early after the restart, but a Gosport red card, followed by a second Abrahams strike, ensured that the Wings would set a date with Boreham Wood in 10 days’ time.
The Wings got off to a poor start, falling behind after 12 minutes when Harvey Rew touched an initial goal-bound header over the line from a set-piece.
But that would only prove to be a precursor for the hosts would do at the other end as they soon sprung into action, netting three goals in eight minutes to put themselves in control.
Just before the half-hour mark, Lema’s looping header from a corner delivery caused chaos for the Gosport defence and nestle in the net.
Moments later, Steward pulled off a stunning save to tip Antony Papadopoulos’ pile-driver from the edge of the box away from the top right-hand corner. However, from the resulting corner, the Wings got themselves in front.
With the ball being played back across the face of goal, Abrahams was on hand to turn in his third goal in four games as his impressive start to life at the club continued.
And just four more minutes elapsed when the hosts had their third – Lema did superbly to get forward down the right-hand side and outmuscle two defender to nick possession and get himself into a scoring position in the box, finishing coolly.
Just as they did in the initial tie four days prior, Welling made a less-than-ideal start to the second half with Gosport pulling a goal back in the 54th minute to get themselves back in the game.
A set-piece saw the ball find itself at the back post where Gerson Da Costa Ramos smashed home into the roof of the net from a tight angle.
On the hour, there were more shades of the previous game when a red card was then brandished. This time, thankfully, it was shown to a Gosport man. Alexander Barsa, who had previously been booked for a foul, tried to get on the end of a cross, only to extend an arm, leading to a deliberate hand ball and a second yellow card, reducing his side to 10 men.
With that, Welling regained their foothold and regained their two-goal advantage by the 66th minute as Abrahams sealed his brace.
Slipped in by James Vaughan’s through-ball, the in-form forward put an excellent finish past Steward and the Wings had one foot in the next round.
That goal put any fears of a cup upset to rest as Bloor’s side continued to manage the game professionally towards the full-time whistle.
Welling will now head to National League outfit Boreham Wood on Saturday, September 14th for a right to a place in the first round proper of the competition for the first time since 2015.
Welling United: Winterbottom, Lema, Burchell, Byrd, Green, Tanga, Vaughan (Bayford 90+3), Odusanya, White (Bramble 81), Papadopoulos (Muwonge 90), Abrahams.
Subs (not used): Pitterson, MacAllister, Adom, Kassarate.
Booked: Lema 52 (foul on Hollands), Winterbottom 58 (time-wasting)
Goals: Lema 28, 36 Abrahams 32, 66
Gosport Borough: Steward, Williams, Medway, Tarbuck, Rew (Hookey 69), Tarpey (Cumberbatch 65), Efedje (Davis-Stephenson 69), Sharo, Ramos, Hollands, Barsa.
Subs (not used): Smart, Kavanagh.
Booked: Sharp 6 (kicking ball away), Tarbuck 35 (foul on Vaughan)
Sent off: Barsa 60 (second-bookable offence)
Goals: Rew 12, Ramos 54
Referee: Matthew Norton
Att: 443
