Antony Papadopoulos scored a hat-trick to trump Lewis Manor’s brace as Welling United twice came behind to claim the F.A. Cup second qualifying round honours at Dartford.

After three consecutive games without a goal, Welling manager Danny Bloor knew that he had to take action and signed Tristan Abrahams, and he made a big difference.

Jephte Tanga had Welling’s first shot which was saved comfortably by Mitchell Beeney. Archie Woods had a shot deflected wide for Dartford then Manor drew a good save out of Ben Winterbottom from close range.

However, the Welling goalkeeper was powerless to stop Manor from putting the Darts ahead in the eighteenth minute. Paul Rooney did well to hook it to the far post and Manor headed home from close range.

Manor might have scored again shortly after when a long clearance was headed on by Charlie Sheringham but his first time effort from the edge of the area flew over.

Abrahams started to show what he has to offer with a clever diagonal cross that took a minor deflection to take it just beyond Jack Burchell then the new signing found Cameron Green whose shot was kept out by the outstretched right boot of Beeney.

He then had a shot that lacked the power to worry Beeney before Welling levelled just before half time. Lewis White was fouled a couple of yards outside the penalty area and Antony Papadopoulos took the responsibility. He powered a low shot past the defensive wall and into the bottom corner.

Early in the second period, Beeney was out quickly to clip it away from Abrahams before Dartford went back ahead from a route one goal. Beeney hoisted a long kick forward, it was allowed to bounce, and Manor got on the end of it to hook it home.

Ten minutes later, Welling levelled again. Green went on a long run and although he attempted to find Tanga, it rebounded off a defender into the path of Papadopoulos and he fired home from fifteen yards.

TJ Bramble returned from international football for the Wings, and when coming off the bench, almost scored immediately with a shot that drifted just wide.

Green shot over for Welling before they went ahead for the first time. After an excellent Welling passing move stretched the hosts back three, Abrahams crossed low from the right and Papadopoulos timed his run perfectly to meet it with a first time finish.

Substitute Brandon Barzey came close to levelling when his fierce shot from wide came back out off the upright and Manor fired over from close range as the Darts looked to force a replay. Winterbottom ensured that wasn’t to be when making two late crucial saves. Manor spun and shot but the Welling goalkeeper made a point-blank range save. Then he dived across goal to claw out Rooney’s header.

Bloor will now be looking for his team to replicate that goalscoring form in the league with their next game being at the Welling manager’s former club, Eastbourne Borough.

Welling United: Winterbottom, Lema (Bramble 65), Green, Vaughan, Byrd, Burchell, Tanga, Odusanya, Abrahams, Papadopoulos (Kassarate 90+6), White (Adom 89). Sub not used: Pitterson, MacAllister, Kamara, Muwonge.