A highly contentious penalty decision was the major talking point as Welling United and Dulwich Hamlet drew in the third qualifying round of the F.A. Trophy.

After Welling United had controlled the first forty minutes, and had taken a deserved lead, Caden Genovesi appeared to have made a clean tackle on Nyren Clunis but referee Steven Hughes thought otherwise and Ashley Carew converted.

This was after forty minutes and was the visitors’ first shot, on or off target, such had Welling’s control of the match been.

Montel Agyemang was commanding in midfield and he caused numerous problems with his dead ball deliveries. An early one was met by Brendan Kiernan at the far post but he was unable to keep it down. Then another one found Danny Mills who headed back across goal but Matt Paterson’s hooked volley flew just wide with Preston Edwards left flat-footed.

Kiernan turned Michael Chambers but curled his shot well off target then Thierry Audel headed wide from a Nassim L’Ghoul corner.

Eventually Welling’s pressure told, although in an unusual manner. Michael Chambers went to clear it but Matthew Paterson put himself in the way and his block flew back past Edwards and into the net.

Then came the controversial decision for Carew’s equaliser which could have been worse for Welling when they conceded a free kick in a difficult position. Carew stepped up again and his free kick came out off the angle of bar and post.

The second half started in similar manner to the first with Agyemang deliveries again causing problems. Mills side-footed one over then Agyemang went for goal himself but curled his effort over.

Yannis Ambroisine turned it into Mills and his first time effort went wide of the near post with Edwards a spectator.

Dan Wilks made his only save, an easy one, from Nathan Green before L’Ghoul’s free kick hit the top of the wall, which looked less than ten yards away, and looped over the bar.

Edwards then made a save from Kiernan before the visitors missed a great chance to win it. Sanchez Ming hit low across the penalty area and Anthony Cook slid in at the far post but couldn’t divert it goalwards.

Welling will now have to travel to Dulwich’s temporary home on Wednesday to try again in the replay.

 

Welling United: Wilks, McNamara, Genovesi, Ijaha, Audel, Ambroisine, Kiernan, Agyemang, Paterson, Mills, L’Ghoul (Marsh-Brown 84).

Subs not used: Orlu, Goldberg, Mendy, Kissock.

 

Dulwich Hamlet: Edwards, Toure, Green, Carew, Okuonghae, Chambers, Clunis, Vose, Cook, Tomlin, Ming.

Subs not used:  Akinyemi, Ferguson, May, Kargbo, Allen.

 

Welling United:

Goalscorers: Paterson (32)

Yellow cards: McNamara, Genovesi

Red cards: None

 

Dulwich Hamlet:

Goalscorers: Carew pen (40)

Yellow cards: Tomlin

Red cards:

 

Referee: Steven Hughes

Assistants: Alexander Bradley and Luke Chapman

 

Attendance: 478

 

Welling star player: Montel Agyemang

Pictures supplied by David Brown.