A hard fought Kent Senior Cup tie ended with Whitstable Town claiming a two-one victory at Welling United.

It took the hosts just sixteen minutes to go ahead when Dipo Akinyemi’s shot came back off the post and went in off the unfortunate Dan Eason and flew in. However, Marshall Wratten’s brace in the final fifteen minutes ensured that the visitors progressed to the quarter final of the Kent Senior Cup.

Earlier in the afternoon, Welling had named Bradley Quinton as their new manager but his first game ended in defeat to Lloyd Blackman’s Oystermen.

John Ufuah was a handful throughout and early on his low cross was turned wide of the near post by Aaron Millbank however it was the Wings who went ahead when Eason dived to try and save Akinyemi’s fierce drive only to see it come back off the inside of the post and rebound in off the prone goalkeeper.

John Spencer had a shot deflected wide at one end before Eason saved a Rob Swaine header at the other. Another Swaine header went wide before Eason again saved, this time from Korrey Henry’s shot.

Brad Goldberg headed wide for Welling and Millbank headed over for the Oystermen just before the interval.

Early in the second period, Swaine headed on a free kick but Akinyemi nodded wide then the latter knocked down for Goldberg to shoot wide. At the other end Dan Wilks made a near post save when Millbank connected with Ufuah’s ball in.

Eason then made a stunning flying save from Aaron Cosgrave’s to stop Welling going two up and that proved crucial. Ufuah fired a free kick beyond the far post before his brilliant deep cross was finished by Wratton.

Seven minutes later, Wratten again scored from close range getting on the end of Tijan Jadama’s deep cross.

Cosgrave cut in and shot wide as Welling looked to level then young substitute Lucas Adkins fizzed an effort off target from twenty-five yards but it was too little too late and Whitstable claimed a deserved victory.

Welling United: Wilks; Copeland, Johnson, Dymond, Swaine, Green, Cosgrave,  Agyemang (Adkins 90), Henry, Goldberg, Akinyemi (Burstow 63).

Subs not used: Rich-Baghuelou, King, Gale.

Goalscorers: Eason og (16)

Whitstable Town: Eason, Mackenzie, Brown, Mazzone (Girt 51), Sanders, Spencer, Ufuah, Jadama, Millbank, Etumnu, Wratten (Gillies 86).

Subs not used: Stannard, Elliott, Bryant

Goalscorers: Wratten (75) (82)

Referee: Ian Fissenden

Assistants: Howard Collins and Teddy Osbourn

Fourth Official: Chris Myatt