Goals by youngsters David Kamara and Enoch Muwonge guided Welling United to an F.A. Trophy victory over a youthful Chesterfield side.

Having been knocked out of the F.A. Cup at Watford seven days earlier, the Chesterfield management made it clear that winning the National League and getting promoted is their priority and they sent a teenage team to Welling. Even manager Paul Cook didn’t travel.

Antony Papadopoulos had Welling’s first effort but shot beyond the angle of bar and post before Chiori Johnson’s radar was also off when the defence opened up in front of him, inviting him to shoot.

Johnson’s match was ended shortly after when he went down with a hamstring injury and Jack Burchell came on as a substitute for his first action for two months.

Cameron Green crossed and when TJ Bramble’s header flew into the air, a goalmouth scramble followed that came to nothing. Papadopoulos cut in and shot off target then the lively Muwonge had an effort blocked out for a corner. Green delivered and Kamara met it but was leaning back and could only glance his header wide.

Another corner, this time taken quickly, gave Green an opportunity to cross from a better angle. Although Kamara couldn’t get a shot away, it fell into the path of Lachlan Byrd who poked goalwards. Luke Chadwick, the Chesterfield goalkeeper, stuck out his left leg and booted it off the line.

Bramble shot just wide from twenty yards, then Chadwick’s foot again saved Chesterfield as he used it to keep out a Papadopoulos shot. In a rare foray forward, Chesterfield’s Ben Rossiter tried to take advantage of Welling defenders hesitancy but scuffed his attempt, and it dribbled wide.

Crossley Lema’s long pass sent Kamara away and his shot was scrambled round the post unconvincingly by Chadwick before the Spireites goalkeeper made a comfortable save from Byrd’s header just before half time.

Shortly after the break, Muwonge was unable to head home from Lema’s cross before Welling broke the deadlock six minutes in. Lema was again the creator with a centre that Kamara brought down well before spinning and blasting into the roof of the net.

Muwonge cut in and had a shot deflected wide then, from Green’s near post corner, Bramble’s flick hit a defender and went past the post. Muwonge had a shot saved then Bramble again came close from a Papadopoulos cross but Ryley D’Sena made a crucial block.

Papadopoulos was well off target from a quickly taken Anthony Grant corner then Muwonge twisted and turned but shot wide.

Seven minutes remained when Muwonge scored the goal that his performance deserved. He pressurised a defender into making a mistake before easing forward and smashing it home.

In stoppage time, the visitors registered a shot on target but Reice Charles-Cook got down well to preserve his clean sheet.

Welling United: Charles-Cook, Lema (Orji 77), Green, Grant, Johnson (Burchell 21), Byrd, Bramble, Odusanya (Okunola 84), Kamara, Muwonge. Papadopoulos. Sub not used: Pitterson, Curran, Bridgeman.

Goalscorers: Kamara (51), Muwonge (83)

Yellow card: Odusanya, Grant

Chesterfield: Chadwick, Brassey, Eratt-Thompson, Abudu (Aftab-Mohiuddin 59), Wragg (Thomas 46), D’Sena, Marshall, Hooper, Simmonite, Rossiter (Mitchell 71), Jessop. Subs not used: Rinaldo, Millen, Cook, Rinaldo.

Goalscorers: None

Yellow cards: Wragg, Eratt-Thompson

Referee: Paul Johnson

Assistants: Craig Green and Marcus Carmichael

Fourth Official: Rudin Preca

Attendance: 452

Images courtesy of Dave Budden