It was the end of the F.A. Trophy road for Welling United as they were beaten at National League Aldershot Town.

Warren Feeney gave Daniel Nkrumah a full first team debut in the Welling team as he continues to search for a winning formula during their current difficult run.

Although Welling goalkeeper Kai McKenzie-Lyle had to make an early low save from Justin Amaluzor from twenty yards, it would have been difficult for a neutral to determine which team was from the higher league in the first forty-five minutes. Both played some good football in midfield, but neither was able to create openings against solid defences.

Amadou Kassarate headed over from a Taylor Maloney free kick before the hosts’ Ody Alfa fired a shot from the edge of the penalty area that McKenzie-Lyle had to save low just inside the post. Chi Ezennolim was then in action at both ends, first shooting just wide of the near post, and then making a good block to thwart Amaluzor.

After the half time break, both teams had efforts off target. Stefan Payne shot wide from distance before both Harrison Panayiotou and Inih Effiong couldn’t keep their efforts down for the Shots.

Maloney came close for Welling when Nkrumah was brought down outside the right-hand side of the penalty area. The former Bromley midfielder whipped in the free kick that beat goalkeeper Luca Ashby-Hammond but came back off the bar.

Panayiotou had a header well held by McKenzie-Lyle before Aldershot went ahead. Ollie Harfield found space to cross, and he picked out Effiong whose glancing header flew just inside the far post.

From that point on, the hosts were the stronger team and Welling had to dig in. Joe Partington shot wide from a free kick before McKenzie-Lyle made an incredible close-range reaction save from Panayiotou. However, all the while that Welling kept the difference down to one goal, they had a chance of taking the tie to penalties. Maloney side-footed over from the edge of the area after clever work by Kassarate and Nkrumah almost had a clear one-on-one with Ashby-Hammond, but it got away from him.

Effiong and Ryan Glover both missed half chances before Aldershot made the game safe with one minute remaining. Harfield sent over a near post corner and Glover lost his marker to head home inside the post.

Aldershot added a third with seconds remaining when Effiong’s cross found Ben De Lacy-Turner and his side-foot volley skidded in off the far post.

Welling United: McKenzie-Lyle, Barnes (Curran 89), Ezennolim, Dunne (Kasim 75), Sendles-White, Parry, Nkrumah, Kassarate, Azeez (Papadopoulos 81), Payne, Maloney. Sub not used: Roberts, Howard.