By Matthew Panting

Another moment of magic by leading scorer Andy Pugh eventually proved decisive as Welling made hard work of overcoming Thamesmead on Tuesday night.

After Saturday's 2-2 draw at Bayliss Avenue, the Wings were expected to progress in their FA Trophy third qualifying round replay with some ease.

But, as in the first game, they had to come from behind after Theo Fairweather-Johnson gave the Mead an early lead. And it was not until Pugh's 16th goal of the season - with 11 minutes left - that Welling's passage to a first-round trip to East Thurrock was finally secure.

Anthony Acheampong somehow headed wide in the sixth minute from Jamie Day's corner before Thamesmead took the lead three minutes later. Fairweather-Johnson escaped the clutches of right-back Andy Sambrook and tucked away his third goal of the tie.

That Thamesmead kept their lead until the break was much to do with keeper Sam Mott, who produced a series of stunning saves. Jack Parkinson's long drive, Day's 25-yard free-kick and Loick Pires' long-range effort were all saved at full stretch, while when he was beaten a minute before the break, it needed an excellent defensive block to deny Pugh an equaliser.

Ben Martin missed his kick in front of goal at the start of the second half and when Pires was thwarted by Mott having originally closed down his clearance, it could have been one of those nights for Welling.

But their pressure finally paid off when skipper Parkinson headed in Day's 54th-minute corner.

Parkinson then somehow headed over an excellent Jack Obersteller cross, Pires shot wide of the near post and another Day free-kick was turned aside a full stretch by Mott. He continued his one-man brilliance with a magnificent save to deny Martin but he was finally beaten on 79 minutes when Pugh, who had a trial with League 1 Leyton Orient last week, made room for himself on the edge of the box and curled home a stunning left-foot effort.

Within two minutes, Pires latched onto substitute Lee Clarke's header and slotted home the third while substitute Tamer Tuna fired into the side netting as the Wings threatened to increase their lead further.