Despite a slow start to each half Welling United defeated Gosport Borough comfortably in their F.A. Cup Third Qualifying Round replay.

Tristan Abrahams and Crossley Lema were both on the scoresheet twice to counter goals early in each half by the visitors. At three-two down, the Southern League East club were still in the tie but a silly second yellow card offence by Alex Barsa extinguished any hope that they may have had of at least taking the game into extra time.

Dave Tarpey had already had a shot saved by Ben Winterbottom before the visitors went ahead. Rory Williams launched a free kick from the left wing that was flicked on and fell for Harvey Rew, and he made no mistake from close range.

Toby Steward struggled with a low cross by Lewis White and Williams scrambled it away before Jack Burchell volleyed wide from James Vaughan’s corner.

Just before the half hour mark, Welling scored their first of three goals in an eight minute spell when Lema looped a header over Steward and into the net from another Vaughan corner.

Lachlan Byrd was unable to hit the target with a header from yet another Vaughan delivery, but Welling scored again from his next one. Steward produced a stunning save to keep out a top corner effort by Antony Papadopoulos but could do nothing when Vaughan picked out Burchell with his delivery to head across goal where Abrahams was waiting to finish from close range.

Papadopoulos was again thwarted by Steward before Lema scored his second goal. In truth he had no right to get to Byrd’s long pass down the right but a mixture of determination, pace and strength allowed him to get through two defenders and leave them standing. He then cut in and unleashed a shot into the bottom corner.

Immediately after the half time break, Tarpey missed a great chance to cut the arrears before Jonathan Efedje’s free kick took the slightest of touches to go out for a corner. Welling struggled to clear it and it fell for Rafael Ramos who smashed it into the roof of the net.

On the hour mark, Alex Barsa needlessly but intentionally handled in the Welling penalty area and was shown a second yellow card to reduce the visitors ten men. That indiscretion was compounded six minutes later when Vaughan threaded a pass between the Gosport centre backs allowing Abrahams a run on goal and he made no mistake in notching his fourth goal in three games.

He may have added to his tally as the game continued in a one sided manner, and young substitute Enoch Muwonge also came close. However, the contest was over by that stage and Welling now go on to visit Boreham Wood in the Fourth Qualifying Round.

Welling United: Winterbottom, Lema, Green, Vaughan (Bayford 90+2), Byrd, Burchell, Tanga, Odusanya, Abrahams, Papadopoulos (Muwonge 90), White (Bramble 81). Sub not used: Pitterson, MacAllister, Adom, Kassarate.