Any hopes that Welling Town had of an escape from relegation were ended in the second half at home to Kennington. 

They went in level after an uneventful first half, but two quick goals after the break gave them an uphill task. Although they pulled one back, the Boots chances were ended when conceding a third in the closing stages.

In the first period both teams struggled to create as the cold swirling wind and uneven surface made it difficult to play flowing football. Kennington’s Fin Dent spun and shot well off target from outside the penalty area.

Ziyad Ghali then tried his luck with a volley from Harry Linch’s cross but it was going well wide before an offside Craig Calvert was unable to divert it goalwards.

Joe Plant tried his luck for Welling with an effort that flew wide before Ghali turned well and surged forward but was ambitious with a shot from twenty-five yards that was saved easily. 

Calvert shot wide from twenty-five yards after a headed clearance fell into his path before Welling’s Lewis Lembisika crossed and an acrobatic effort by Victor Aiyelabola flew well off target.

Brilliant skills followed by a deft back-heel by Aiyelabola put Lembisika clear and his shot was well saved by Dan Smith before a long shot by Jamie Hurst bounced kindly for the Kennington goalkeeper.

Less than a minute after the break Ghali fizzed a first time effort just over then Tom Cleary rushed out and Dent’s attempt from the touchline was well off target. 

Ten minutes after the restart, the visitors went ahead. Connor Tilley crossed superbly and Linch turned it in although a defender may have got the last touch. Three minutes later they scored again courtesy of a Tilley wonder strike.

Substitute Maxx Manktelow shot over from well out before Adam Phillips met a Linch corner with a header that went wide of the near post.

Twenty minutes remained when the Boots pulled one back. Aiyelabola drove it across the face of goal and Manktelow diverted it home.

Hurst arrived late to get on the end of a defensive header out but his shot flew well over. As the hosts pushed forward, they got caught out at the back when Mitchell Harman crossed and Dent cushioned his header home.

Sam Bailey cut in but was off balance and shot wide before his dissent, following Aiyelabola having a goal disallowed, resulted in him spending the remainder of the match in the sin-bin.

Tilley shot wide before Dent had a goal disallowed. The last chance of the match fell to Aiyelabola but his shot was beaten out by Smith

Welling Town: Cleary, Hearn (Sesay-Ince 67), Muongo, Wynter-Stephens (Brand 67), Hurst, Goumou, Lembikisa, Curnow (Manktelow 53), Aiyelabola, Plant, Bailey. 

Goal scorers: Manktelow (70)

Yellow cards: Manktelow

Sin-bin: Bailey (85 – end) 

Kennington: Smith, Tilley, Whiting (Biggleston 61), Phillips, Hughes, Lavender (Griffin 72), Fisher, Calvert (Harman 61), F. Dent, Ghali,  Linch.

Unused subs: Mant, Lightfoot.

Goalscorers: Linch (55), Tilley (58), Dent (83)

Yellow cards: None

Referee: Rhys Jeffrey

Assistants: Tom Amber and Henry Webster

Attendance: 64

Pictures supplied by Dave Budden.