Dan Walker scored his first Welling United hat-trick as Welling United eased into the second round of the Kent Reliance Senior Cup.

Both hosts Chatham Town and Welling put out decent strength teams in the hopes of progressing.

In the early stages, the difference in status between the teams was very evident with Chatham goalkeeper Patrick Lee making an early claim for the man of the match.

Walker burst through but Lee stood up tall to beat his shot out. Josh Jackson followed up with a first time effort that was turned wide by Lee.

Sam Hatton was next to try his luck with a shot from outside the area that drew a fine save out of Lee. Lyle Della-Verde was then foiled by another fine Lee save and still only five minutes had passed when Welling went ahead.

Once again, Walker tried his luck from the edge of the area and this time he wrong footed Lee with a shot that nestled in the bottom corner.

Junior Kaffo was gifted a chance to equalise almost immediately but drilled his effort wide.

Another Walker shot came back off the far post and Della-Verde tested Lee again.

Ryan Flack, on his full Chatham debut, fired across the face of the goal before Welling doubled their lead. Walker found himself clear through and made no mistake with a comfortable finish.

Two became three when Josh Jackson skinned the defence before his low cross was finished by Jonte Smith.

To their credit, the Chats didn’t give up their passing game and pulled one back when Flack brought down a long cross ball, cut in and laid it back for Ross Morley to curl in a beauty from twenty yards.

They almost reduced the arrears further when Jerald Aboagye burst through but Chris Lewington was out quickly to block.

Just before the break, Walker completed his hat-trick with an audacious lob from just inside the touchline.

Smith looked like he might be carrying an injury as he went off and was replaced at the break by reality TV’s Dan Osborne,

Things were quieter after the break until Owen Price fired a free kick well wide.

Dean Morgan tried his luck with a free kick at the other end. Lee parried it and was flattened by Walker as they both attacked the loose ball. Fortunately for him, after treatment, he was able to continue.

Johnson went on another powerful run and pulled back to Osborne but Lee was equal to his effort.

Having been successful in the first half, Walker tried his luck from out wide again but this time he was just off target. Freeman Rogers had his eye on the ball and was not aware of his proximity to the framework. He crashed into the post with such force that it made a mess of his nose and teeth. As Chatham did not have another fit substitute, they had to play the last twenty minutes with ten men.

Delle-Verde was first to take advantage with a good finish for Welling’s fifth.

Then Jackson, who is on dual registration with the two clubs, ended the scoring with a fine individual goal.

 

Chatham Town: Lee, Botterill (Radford 13), Aboagye, Price, Rogers, Difford, Morley, Flack, Kaffo, Bingham, Edwards (Lightfoot 69).

Unused substitutes: Lyoubi, Hickey.

 

Welling United: Lewington (Agu 64), Thompon-Martelly, Johnson, Hatton, Francis, Nelson, Jackson (Hever 85), Morgan, Walker, Smith (Osborne 46), Della-Verde.

Unused Substitutes: Fullbrook, Bolton.

 

Referee: Thomas Marshall.

Assistants: Joseph Stokes and Dan Proctor.

 

Man of the match: Dan Walker

Attendance: 83

Pictures supplied by Dave Budden.