Welling were left wondering how they never progressed in the FA Trophy on Saturday after dominating against Dulwich.

The Wings now face a midweek replay at Tooting on Wednesday night after failing to get the job done at the first time of asking against their National League South rivals.

Matthew Paterson’s fortuitous 33rd-minute goal was cancelled out by Ashley Carew’s penalty four minutes before half-time.

Welling were in charge for much of the first half. Paterson’s improvised flick from Danny Mills’ 14th-minute header down went just wide of the upright.

Brendan Kiernan then turned Michael Chambers but curled his 20-yard left-foot shot well over the upright.

The pressure paid off just after the half-hour when Nathan Green went to clear Nassim L’Ghoul’s cross but Paterson closed him down and saw the ball bounce in via the upright.

Welling should have created another chance two minutes later but Mills overhit a simple pass forward for Kiernan and his eventual cross was deflected away for a corner.

Dulwich barely had an attack worthy of the name but that changed five minutes before the break when Caden Genovesi's challenge on Nyren Clunis handed the visitors a spot-kick. The decision was given by the assistant referee but Wings will feel aggrieved as the video clearly showed that Genovesi won the ball cleanly.

Carew confidently stepped up to slot his spot-kick to the left of keeper Wilks and into the bottom corner.

The central midfielder nearly doubled his tally in stoppage time but his brilliant 30-yard free-kick came crashing back off the underside of the crossbar.

Welling created the best chances in the second half, Montel Agyemang firing a free-kick over the bar.

On-loan Millwall right-back Danny McNamara was booked for a foul on Anthony Cook as six Dulwich players surrounded referee Steven Hughes demanding sterner action.

L’Ghoul’s free-kick 10 minutes from time was deflected over the bar before Dulwich keeper Preston Edwards had to make the only save of the match seven minutes from time when he raced out to divert Kiernan’s shot behind for a corner.

Dulwich, who had only a wild long-range Carew attempt to show for their improved second-half efforts, nearly snatched a winner in stoppage time but Cook stabbed wide at full stretch from close range.

The crowd was just 478 – less than half the attendance when these two teams met on the opening day of the season.

Welling: Wilks, McNamara, Genovesi, Ijaha, Audel, Ambroisine, Kiernan, Agyemang, Paterson, Mills, L’Ghoul (Marsh Brown 85mins). Subs not used: Orlu, Goldberg, Mendy, Kissock.

Dulwich: Edwards, Toure, Green, Carew, Okuonghae, Chambers, Clunis, Vose, Cook, Tomlin, Ming. Subs not used: Akinyemi, Ferguson, May, Kargbo, Allen.

Attendance: 478.