Following their heavy defeat at Ebbsfleet on Saturday, Welling United manager Peter Taylor made six changes to the starting line up when they visited Dulwich Hamlet in the London Senior Cup.

However, despite the changes in personnel, they still started slowly and could have been two down early on. In just the second minute, AJ Harris-Sealey eased in from the right wing before unleashing a shot that crashed back off the crossbar. Then James Dayton had a shot cleared off the line by Bradley Pearce. 

Stefan Ilic had Welling’s first chance when he got in behind but his shot back towards the bottom corner was kept out by the outstretched boot of Dulwich keeper Charlie Grainger.

Chike Kandi had a shot deflected over for Dulwich before Joe Muscatt’s cross was just beyond Daniel Carr at the other end.

The deadlock was broken in the twenty-fifth minute when Welling went ahead. Bradley Stevenson cut in from the left and fired a low accurate shot inside the far post. It could have been two shortly afterwards when Ilic’s glanced header from Arthur Penney’s free kick went just the wrong side of the far post.

With five first half minutes remaining, Dulwich levelled. Harris-Seajay pulled back to Kandi and his shot took a horrible deflection that gave Welling goalkeeper Jack Sims no chance.

Sims was beaten again ten minutes into the second half with Harris-Seajay again the provider and this time Kandi needed no help when blasting home at the far post from close range.

After a further five minutes, Sims may have been fortunate to only get a yellow card when he came out and brought down Deon Moore. He was still made to pay, though, when he was unable to hold Harris-Seajay’s free kick and Jamal Abubakari bundled it home.

Welling looked to respond and Grainger had to beat out Stevenson’s free kick then Carr curled over. It was not all one way, though, and Kandi looked to complete his hat-trick when rounding Sims but Pearce got back to clear off the line.

O’Shane Stewart sent over a dangerous cross that Carr stabbed over then Stevenson found Aaron Barnes but he shot wide of the near post. When Stewart’s shot came back off the post, Welling knew that it was not going to be their evening and it got worse when, having used all their substitutes, debutant Yannais Drais limped off leaving them to play out the last ten minutes with ten men. 

As the game drew to a close, Dulwich might have made it four but Welling threw bodies into the firing line with Pearce and Maxwell Statham making blocks.

Dulwich now progress to the third round when they will visit Hendon.

Dulwich Hamlet: Grainger, Barnum-Bobb, Blackman, Splatt, Abubakari, Sterling, Harris-Sealey, Diallo (Bowker 80), Kandi (McQueen 80), Dayton, Moore.

Unused subs: Atewologun, McGregor.

Goalscorers: Kandi (40), (55), Abubakari (60)

Yellow cards: None

Welling United: Sims, Muscatt (Barnes 63), Statham. Pearce, Penney (Campbell 70), Ezennolim, Ilic (Saunders-Henry 46), Drais, Carr, Stevenson, Stewart.

Unused subs: Durojaiye, Campbell, Richards.

Goalscorers: Stevenson (25)

Yellow cards: Sims

Referee: Michael Chard

Assistants: Dorken Baltas and Victor Schnorr Silva Junior

Attendance: 719