Welling United U18 (1) 3 Raines 41 Milton 47 Grant 49
Margate U18 (0) 1 Warden 90+2
Attendance: 113
Entrance: £3 Senior
Teamsheet: £0.20
Mileage: 72/3,375
Match Report
This might be the last time that I watch this group of lads with whom I have a great deal of affection from their time at Tonbridge at Under-18 level. By the time the next FA Youth Cup begins the majority of these boys will no longer be eligible and they will be young men playing in senior football. Indeed, that transition is well underway with Jack Bray, Henry Ikeije breaking into the first team at Margate; Lewis Mitchell and Sid Warden are in Erith Town’s first team squad; Jack Fenton is at Corinthian whilst Harvey Killick has recently turned out and scored for Hollands and Blair.
Margate enjoyed the best of the first half but went into the break a goal behind with their attacking intentions founding on the massive central defensive trio of Kieron Hughes, Alfie Fullbrook and Dan Edwards. Towards the end of the game, the Welling manager urged Hughes forward for a corner, telling him: “You’re 6’9” for christ’s sake, get yourself into the box”. I had to remind myself, that these are 18-year-olds.
Margate started the game brightly with Ikeije setting up Killick for a shot that was only marginally wide.
The height advantage came into play after 10 minutes when Fullbrook rose to meet a corner only to put his header narrowly over.
After 26 minutes, Margate’s Kunle Bakare was sent clear by Ikeije but the home goalkeeper, Olumannis Gossemna, saved well at his feet.
Killick, who was proving a constant threat, shot narrowly wide having been played in by Warden.
The game really opened up in the closing minutes of the first half. Warden fired over and Welling went straight to the other end and Mitchell saved well from Ethan Grant, quickly followed by Warden forcing a double save out of Gossemna.
At the end of the five minute hiatus, Welling took the lead when Jack Raines bent a free kick around the right of the wall and into the unguarded half of Mitchell’s goal.
Welling quickly put the tie to bed in the opening minutes of the second half. A turn of pace from Ollie Milton took him past the otherwise impressive Bray and from a tight angle he fired a fierce shot past Mitchell and into the far corner.
Two minutes later it was as good as all over when Grant fired in low from close range to put the home side three up after 49 minutes.
To their credit, Margate rolled up their sleeves and made a game of it with Ikeije hitting a cross-cum-shot onto the top of the crossbar within a minute and they continued to throw everything they had at Welling but the giant threesome mopped up pretty much all they had to offer.
Substitute Tom Webster’s lob was not enough to beat Gossemna but in the time added Ikeije wriggled his way along the line to cross to Warden who tapped in at the far post. A consolation was the least Margate deserved.
Welling face the long trip to AFC Totten or Cheltenham Town in the second round.
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