Whitstable progressed to the last eight of the Kent Senior Cup with a good win at National League South club Welling United. The home team looked dangerous during the first half and took the lead when a shot from Dipo Akinyemi found its way into the net via the post and Dan Eason. Whitstable kept themselves in the game however and only trailed by the one goal at the break. There were a few chances at both ends during the second half, with Eason making a good save from Aaron Cosgrave, but it was Whitstable that gradually got on top and they were rewarded with two late goals by Marshall Wratten, both from right wing crosses. They held on with few alarms for a well-earned victory.

Welling United had beaten Whitstable 6-1 in the final of the competition in 2009, but this time around, despite playing their football two divisions higher, they came into the game out of form and actually appointed a new manager shortly before the match. Chairman Mark Goldberg stood down as manager to hand over to Bradley Quinton, who had previously managed Enfield Town and Braintree Town. Nine of the Welling starting eleven had featured in the squad for their last league game against Weymouth. Whitstable manager Lloyd Blackman made five changes to the team that had drawn with Sevenoaks, with Harry Stannard, Luke Girt, Liam Gillies and Marcus Elliott dropping to the bench, where they were joined by captain Tom Bryant, who had been unable to start due to traffic problems.

There was an early chance for Welling, when Cosgrave made a run into the box before being halted by a timely intervention by Jake Mackenzie. A good break down the right by John Ufuah took him to the corner before whipping in a cross that was met by Aaron Millbank at the near post, but the ball went wide. The home team opened the scoring in the 16th minute when the ball was clipped forward by Rob Swaine for Akinyemi and he turned past Josh Spencer before firing in a shot from a tight angle on the right that came back off the far post, struck Eason on the line and went in. A long throw by Connor Sanders was helped on and just missed by Spencer in front of goal, but when the ball was played back across by Charles Etumnu, Spencer struck it well from 22 yards, but it was deflected behind for the first of three Whitstable corners.

At the other end a cross by Dquame Copeland was headed across goal by Swaine, but as Eason dived across to save, the ball rebounded off the post to safety. Leo Mazzone collected Whitstable’s only yellow card for a foul and from the free kick, Akinyemi headed wide. In the 36th minute, the ball was played over the top for Korrey Henry, but Eason got down to save at his near post. Copeland had a shot easily saved and Bradley Goldberg headed wide as Welling looked for a second goal before half time, but Whitstable had a good chance on 42 minutes when a dangerous Wratten free kick was headed over by Millbank. Welling led 1-0 when the half time whistle blew.

Whitstable brought on Girt for Mazzone in the 51st minute, after winning a couple of early corners at the start of the second half. A Welling free kick was headed on by Swaine to Akinyemi, but his header was off target and then Goldberg collected a through ball before shooting wide. Whitstable were starting to knock the ball around with more confidence and winning a lot of possession in midfield and another good run by Ufuah saw his cross met by Millbank, but Daniel Wilks saved. Cosgrave made a run in from the left before hitting a shot towards the top left corner that Eason did very well to push over the bar. Etumnu shot over when found by TJ Jadama after a promising build up on the right. The battling Etumnu then had another effort blocked and Ufuah shot over the bar and had another attempt closed down as the home side appeared to be tiring. Cosgrave, who had a good game, crossed for substitute Mason Burstow whose low shot was straight at Eason.

On 69 minutes, Wratten curled a free kick just wide of the far post after Swaine was booked for a foul on Millbank. Whitstable had been threatening an equaliser and it arrived in the 75th minute when Ufuah skipped past Archie Johnson and sent over a great cross and Wratten rose at the back post to head past Wilks. It got better for the visitors in the 81st minute, when Ufuah found Jadama, who had made a good run forward and he took the ball to the byeline before sending over a low cross that was finished at close range by Wratten. The last few minutes saw Cosgrave and late substitute Lucas Atkins both shoot wide for Welling, but each team had a player limp off with Wratten and Montel Agyemang both leaving the action early. There was to be no way back for Welling though and Whitstable claimed a deserved, if somewhat unexpected, 2-1 win to progress to the Kent Senior Cup quarter finals.

Next up for Whitstable is a long trip on Saturday to Chichester City, who are catching up with league games after their famous FA Cup run before Christmas.

Welling	Data	Whitstable
5	Shots on target	4
10	Shots off target	6
2	Shots blocked	1
7	Corners	3
15	Fouls conceded	12
3	Offside	1
0	Penalties	0

Welling United
Daniel Wilks, Dquame Copeland, Archie Johnson, Connor Dymond, Rob Swaine (c), Nathan Green, Aaron Cosgrave, Montel Agyemang (Lucas Atkins 90+1), Korrey Henry, Bradley Goldberg, Dipo Akinyemi (Mason Burstow 63).
Subs (unused): Jay Rich-Baghuelou, Tommy King, Nathan Gale.
Goal: Dipo Akinyemi 16
Yellow card: Rob Swaine 69

Whitstable Town
Dan Eason, Jake Mackenzie, James Brown, Leo Mazzone (Luke Girt 51), Connor Sanders (c), Josh Spencer, John Ufuah, Tijan Jadama, Aaron Millbank, Charles Etumnu, Marshall Wratten (Liam Gillies 86).
Subs (unused): Harry Stannard, Marcus Elliott, Tom Bryant.
Goals: Marshall Wratten 75, 81.
Yellow card: Leo Mazzone 32

Attendance: 101
Referee: Ian Fissenden
Assistants: Howard Collins & Teddy Osborn
Fourth Official: Christopher Myatt