One Woking goal was enough to end Welling United’s ten game unbeaten run.

Steve King, Welling’s manager was forced to make changes from the team that beat Slough Town seven days earlier. Adam Coombes (cup-tied) and Jack Jebb missed out with Julien Anau, making his full debut, and John Paul Kissock coming in. Craig Braham-Barrett returned from international duty so former Woking full-back Charles Banya missed out.

Jake Hyde made an ugly challenge on Jordan Gibbons early on but escaped a caution as Welling started strongly.

Brendan Kiernan belted a half volley well over before Nassim L’Ghoul’s free kick forced one time Welling goalkeeper Craig Ross into a scrambled save.

Anau fired well off target before coming closer with a shot across the face of goal that went just beyond the far post.

Kiernan went on a thrilling run but ended it by shooting into the crowd.

Danny Mills was next to come close to scoring when he hung in the air but could only direct his header back beyond the post.

Braham-Barrett had to perform his defensive duties close to half time when Max Kretzschmar was found in plenty of space but the Montserrat international got back to make a saving tackle.

That was the last chance of the first half but Welling will have gone in feeling confident.

Immediately after the interval Jamar Loza hit a shot into the side netting before Hyde’s blatant foul on Thierry Audel gave him space to fire home and the referee had an easy decision to make when disallowing it.

His next decision proved pivotal to how the game would develop. He felt that Anau’s challenge was worthy of a yellow card and having already cautioned him, he sent him off.

Kretzschmar finally got a shot on target but it was directly at Dan Wilks and he held it comfortably.

Their second, and only other shot on target, was decisive. A cross wasn’t cleared well enough and Paul Hodges headed it back in for Ben Gerring to nod home from close range.

Kiernan had a shot well saved as Welling tried to find an equaliser to force a replay.

He again came close with a bullet header from L’Ghoul’s corner before they came very close again deep into injury time. L’Ghoul delivered a free kick and substitute Bradley Goldberg met it sweetly however Ross was down well to make an excellent save.

Although their F.A. Cup run is over, Welling are eight matches unbeaten in the league and will hope to extend it when they entertain Gloucester City next Saturday.

 

Woking: Ross, Gayle, Casey, Cook, Gerring, Hestor-Cook, Loza (Hodges 54), Edser, Hyde (Ofori-Acheampong 82), Kretzschmar, Wheeler (Luer 82).

Subs not used: Young, Khinda-John, Schotterl, Spence.

 

Welling United: Wilks; Gibbons (Goldberg 81), Braham-Barrett, Anau, Audel, Hill, Kiernan, Mendy, Mills, Kissock (Ijaha 81), L’Ghoul.

Subs not used: Quebe, Ambroisine, Hurst, McCallum, Banya.

 

Woking:

Goalscorers: None

Yellow cards: Cook, Hyde, Gayle.

Red cards: None

 

Welling United:

Goalscorers:

Yellow cards: Anau, Mendy, Braham-Barrett.

Red cards: Anau

 

 

Referee: Wayne Cartmel

Assistants: Ivan Gelov and Samuel Read

 

Attendance: 1,281

 

Welling star player: Thierry Audel