WELLING United avenged their pre-season defeat against Gillingham with a Kent Cup victory to advance to the quarter-finals on Monday evening.

Neither manager put out full strength sides and Gillingham had an entirely different starting XI to the one which played on Saturday.

Keeper Craig Ross made his Welling debut having signed recently from Hampton and Richmond Borough, while Tamer Tuna made his first start in his second spell at Welling.

Quentin Conteh also made his first Welling first team start.

Luis Cumbers, a former Gill, had the first effort of the match but keeper Paolo Gazzaniga was not required to make a save.

Nathan Nyaflii then burst through for Gillingham but shot wildly.

After eight minutes, referee Ian Crouch decided Welling’s red kit and Gillingham’s dark pink outfit were too similar so the hosts changed into their blue away kit.

Ross made an easy save claiming from Connor Essam’s header from a long free-kick awarded against Jack Parkinson for dissent.

Nyaflii shot wide again after collecting a quick free-kick.

Tackles flew in and while it is commendable for referees to try and let games flow, excess leniency can cause problems and the first flare up followed a nasty challenge on Andy Sambrook.

The Wings full back squared up to his assailant and another Gillingham player raced across to send him flying.

All three were cautioned. Parkinson then had an effort cleared off the line by Jack Evans after Cumbers brought a long cross ball down skilfully.

Conteh shot wide from a Tuna pull back, Cumbers spun brilliantly and saw his shot well saved by Gazzaniga, and Tuna cut in and had an effort saved as the Wings finished the half strongly.

At half-time Welling replaced Sambrook with Jack Taylor and within eight minutes he had joined a growing list of Welling players to have conceded a penalty this season when he caught Ashley Miller in the area.

Stefan Payne stepped up and gave Ross no chance with the spot kick.

To his credit, Taylor did not allow his head to drop and played a solid 45 minutes.

Tuna might have won a penalty for Welling when he beat Gazzaniga to a long ball but although clipped, he stayed on his feet and no spot kick was awarded.

Ross then made a fine save from Payne before a crunching tackle on Conteh saw him unable to continue and Jack Kensington came on for his Welling first team debut.

Jake Hessenthaler then had a shot saved by Ross before Welling levelled.

Callum Davies conceded a 69th minute penalty for a foul on Cumbers which also earned him a yellow card.

Lee Clarke stepped up and converted coolly.

Jamie Day had a long dipping shot saved, and almost finished an excellent move involving Clarke and Cumbers.

Healy was fouled out on the left and almost made Gillingham pay when he was first to Day’s fizzed in free-kick, but saw his header fly over.

Another melee broke out and Healy was cautioned but even though a linesman brought the part the previously booked Davies had played in it to his attention, the referee allowed the defender to escape with a stern admonishment.

The winning goal arrived in stoppage time when Tuna’s awkward cross was turned past his own keeper by Gillingham’s Bradley Dack.

A trip to Dover on a date to be announced awaits Welling as reward for this victory.

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Welling: Ross, Sambrook (Taylor 46), Johnson, Day, Acheampong, Parkinson, Conteh (Kensington 65), Clarke, Tuna, Cumbers, Healy. Subs not used: Pugh, Moore, Martin. Att: 206.