Another penalty shoot-out success at the J. Hearnden Skip Hire Community Stadium saw Welling United progress in the F.A. Trophy at the expense of Brackley Town.

Having seen off Taunton Town on penalties in the second round, Welling were again spot on to defeat their guests from Northamptonshire. It seems to be a far cry from the beginning of the season when they struggled to find someone who could convert from the spot. Maybe, with penalties in mind, Brackley made two substitutions late on. If that was the case it backfired. One of the replacements, who was expected to take the first one, picked up two yellow cards in his thirteen minutes of action, and the other hit the post.

Spectators in the ground had barely settled down when Brackley’s fast start was rewarded with a goal. Tommy O’Sullivan’s corner was knocked down by Alex Gudger, and Dom McHale’s deft flick put the National League North promotion chasers ahead.

Although Kain Adom had a twenty-five yard effort saved comfortably by Danny Lewis, the Saints continued to ask the questions and Welling were forced into defending well, an example of which was when Ike Orji marked his home debut with a brilliant block from Riccardo Calder.

However, after twenty minutes of toil, Welling started to come into the game and Josh Chambers burst through and struck a low shot just wide. Adom hit another effort that didn’t threaten before Jephte Tanga let fly with a powerful drive that Lewis saved well.

Tyler Little hit a shot straight at Welling goalkeeper Reice Charles-Cook after McHale had pulled it back before Lewis was again called into making a good save. Tanga’s initial shot came back to him off Zak Lilly, and his nimble footwork created space for him to get another shot away but he couldn’t beat the experienced goalkeeper.

As the first half moved into injury time, Welling’s strong spell produced a goal. Adom was brought down by Gareth Dean and Tristan Abrahams sized up his options from the free kick before arrowing his shot inside the far post.

Shortly after the restart Welling had another free kick that Chambers fired over before Anthony Grant nicked it off a Brackley defender and surged into the penalty area before blasting high above the bar. More hesitant defending allowed Abrahams to rob a visitors’ defender and break forward. His shot was saved brilliantly by the strong right arm of Lewis pushing it upwards. Although Tanga was up highest to head home the rebound, he was deemed to be in an offside position and it didn’t count.

Chambers had a header saved before Brackley had a spell in which Little was their main threat. First he fired over after Jervis knocked it down into his path, then he shot wide of the near post after breaking into the penalty area. Finally, he struck a low diagonal across the six yard box but nobody was on his wavelength to get on the end of it.

Layton Love and Dan Turner were introduced in the closing stages and the former was cautioned soon after for a challenge on TJ Bramble who was caught by a flapping arm.

Indecision resulted in Chambers neither crossing nor shooting, and it rolled wide, before Lewis saved Adom’s shot. Lewis then made another outstanding save to turn Chambers’ powerful drive over when he knew exactly what he wanted to do, and from the corner, Lachlan Byrd’s header hit the grateful Brackley custodian.

In the final minute of stoppage time, Love again sent an arm into Bramble’s face and he was shown a second yellow card, and was dismissed.

While arrangements were being made for the penalty shoot out, Bramble had his nosebleed stemmed.

Dominic Odusanya put the first spot kick wide but Welling didn’t err again, so good were their conversions that although Lewis went the right way in most cases, he didn’t get near them. Abrahams, Adom, Tanga and Cameron Green were successful for the Wings.

Turner struck the post for Brackley with their second kick, and Shep Murombedzi did likewise with their fifth to end their hopes of progression to the fourth round.

It was the first time this season, that Welling’s starting eleven finished the game unchanged and with no midweek game ahead they can recuperate in preparation for next Saturday’s home league game with Eastbourne Borough.

Welling United: Charles-Cook, Orji, Green, Grant, Bramble, Byrd, Tanga, Odusanya, Abrahams, Chambers, Adom. Sub not used: Winterbottom, Sekajja, Papadopoulos, Howard, Kassarate, Kamara, Muwonge.