Coming into the game, Havant and Waterlooville still had an outside chance of qualifying for the Vanarama National League South play-offs.

However, they came up against a resurgent Welling United side who were determined to finish the season in style.

After giving fringe players and under 23s a run out in midweek, Welling manager Warren Feeney restored players from his first team squad for the final game of the season and they put on an outstanding display.

It took just two minutes for the Wings to go ahead. A Welling corner wasn’t cleared and Ade Azeez knocked it back for Kodi Lyons-Foster who finished like a seasoned striker.

James Dunne had a great opportunity to score his first Welling goal but headed wide before Azeez got in behind the back four and shot low drawing a fine save out of Teddy Sharman-Lowe.

Azeez was thwarted by Sharman-Lowe saving his header but Havant’s respite was short lived as Sam Magri’s sloppy pass was intercepted by Azeez who fired into the bottom corner.

Sharman-Lowe made a brilliant save from Azeez from point-blank range after Stefan Payne had headed across goal then Christie Pattisson’s low shot whistled just wide.

Kai McKenzie-Lyle was called into action to push Jake McCarthy’s header round the post then Danny Wright was off target with a header from Joe Newton’s cross.

Another Newton cross found the late arriving McCarthy who headed straight into McKenzie-Lyle’s hands before the Welling goalkeeper was more severely tested by a near post McCarthy shot but the Welling goalkeeper was equal to it.

Payne and Azeez combined again and the latter was again foiled by an outstanding save before the former shot well over.

Muhammadu Faal did net early in the second half but his header was ruled out for offside, much to the disappointment of Havant director of football Paul Doswell, but it was Welling who struck again shortly before the hour mark.

Taylor Maloney played it forward and Pattisson burst away before letting fly with a fierce shot that whizzed past Sharman-Lowe.

McCarthy headed wide for the Hawks before Pattisson saw off a half hearted challenge by Jack Jebb then squared for Maloney whose shot was saved comfortably.

Deflated Havant struggled to break Welling down while the visitors were happy to see out time.

However, the Hawks did have a late chance when Charlie Ruff got a shot away but McKenzie-Lyle blocked his shot to maintain his second successive clean sheet.

Feeney’s team finished in sixteenth place and he will now reflect on how the team can push on next season.

Havant and Waterlooville: Sharman-Lowe, McCarthy, Newton, Nembhard, Magri (Miller-Rodney 35), Rooney, Jebb, Kealy, Faal, Roberts, Wright (Ruff 58).

Subs not used: Oastler, Gobern, Burnett.

Goalscorer: None

Yellow cards: None

Welling United: McKenzie-Lyle, Papadopoulos, Ezennolim, Kassarate, Parry, Lyons-Foster, Pattisson, Dunne (Andrews 73), Payne (Nkrumah 73), Azeez, Elito (Maloney 57).

Subs not used: Balarabe, Barnes.

Goalscorers: Lyons-Foster (2), Azeez (17), Pattisson (58)

Yellow cards: Payne

Referee: Phillip Eddie

Assistants: Colin Hubbard and David Ellis

Attendance: 1,162

Pictures supplied by Michael Brown.