An entertaining match went all the way to penalties before Welling United advanced in the Kent Senior Cup at the expense of Sittingbourne.

There had been little to choose between the two teams with the visitors being the width of the post away from progressing after clawing back a two-goal deficit.

Jay Simpson had the first chance of the match for Welling when a defensive lapse allowed him a shot, but he fired straight at Matt Cafer. The Brickies then had an opportunity with a free kick that Correy Davidson blasted well over.

In the fourth minute Welling went ahead when Antony Papadopoulos skinned his man and drove it across the face of goal. Sittingbourne half cleared it and it fell to Sam Bayford who crashed it home from the edge of the penalty area.

Bayford then shot over after clever work by David Kamara, before Papadopoulos again left his man for dead and squared only for Kamara to fire well over. Cameron Andrews chased down a back pass and dispossessed Cafer who brought him down. Andrews took the responsibility himself and rolled his spot-kick into the bottom corner.

Seven minutes later, the Brickies pulled one back. Mario Quiassaca won his header, and it came back to him. His square pass found Duane Acheampong-Ofori who shot low into the bottom corner.

Papadopoulos drew a brilliant save out of Cafer before Sittingbourne’s Donvieve Jones arrived late but rifled his effort over.

As half time approached, Welling had one more chance when Amadou Kassarate met an Andrews corner with his head, but a defender on the line was in the right place to nod it over.

Eleven second half minutes had passed when the visitors levelled. Davidson saw Acheampong-Ofori in acres of space on the right-hand side and found him with a cross-field pass. He then squared allowing Quiassaca a tap in.

Andrews got onto the end of a good Welling move and hit a clean shot but straight at Cafer before the Brickies came close. Cafer’s long clearance was flicked on by Quiassaca to send Henry Dasofunjo clear. He rolled it beyond Kai McKenzie-Lyle before watching it come back out off the far post.

From then on, the two defences held firm with only one more shot on target, an Andrews side footer held comfortably after excellent work by Rob Howard.

Penalties started with Andrews, Howard and Kamara on target for the Wings, and Jones, Quiassaca and Dasofunjo successful for Sittingbourne. Enoch Muwonge put Welling four-three ahead before Harrison Pont shot over. Taofiq Olomowewe had the chance to win it, but Cafer saved, then Cafer brought it back to level pegging by converting one himself.

Tom Dickens put Welling back ahead before Matthew Warren saw his effort come back off the same post that had denied Dasofunjo earlier, meaning that it’s Welling whose name will be in the draw for the third round.

Welling United: McKenzie-Lyle, Howard, Musoke, Bayford (Lugboso 82), Dickens, Olomowewe, Andrews, Kamara, Papadopoulos (Muwonge 69), Kassarate (Kane 69), Simpson.

Sub not used: Gumbrell.

Goalscorers: Bayford (4), Andrews pen (16)

Yellow cards: Papadopoulos

Sittingbourne: Cafer, Jones, Pont, Puemo, Gorham (Taffee 74), Quiassaca, Davidson, Warren, Acheampong-Ofori (Tubb 82), Addai (Horley 82), Dasofunjo.

Subs not used: Bagasan.

Goalscorers: Acheampong-Ofori (23), Quiassaca (57)

Yellow cards: Gorham

Referee: Kane Dempster

Assistants: Simon Cutler and Jacob Miller

Attendance: 167

Pictures supplied by Keith Gillard.