Welling United hammered play-off hopefuls Weston-super-Mare to take them within a point of the Blue Square Bet South title.

Kurtis Guthrie scored an eighteen minute first half hat-trick, his first goals for Welling, as the Wings showed no signs of nerves.

Weston’s goalkeeper Lewis Carey was busy early on saving from Jamie Day, Guthrie twice, and Ross Lafayette.

Dayle Grubb shot wide for Weston following a block on Ashley Kington’s initial effort but that was a rare moment of hope for the Seagulls’ supporters and it came as no shock when Welling went ahead.

Lafayette whipped in a cross that Guthrie finished with a diving header, guiding the ball just inside the far post. After celebrating with team mates he made a point of running back to the Welling supporters behind the goal who had backed him all the way through his barren spell.

Guthrie and Ben Martin both had shots deflected wide before Guthrie added his and Welling’s second. Picking up the ball wide on the left, he cut in before shooting home from just outside the penalty area. This time he ran to celebrate with the management team.

Lee Clarke might have added a third when latching onto Lafayette’s header from Guthrie’s cross but Carey saved at close range.

A goalmouth scramble in the Welling penalty area didn’t fall kindly for Weston and the Wings’ scrambled the ball away before they added their third five minutes before the break.

Once again, Guthrie broke down the left wing before playing the ball in to Lafayette. The Wings’ leading scorer held up play well before crossing to Guthrie who had ghosted into the middle and his header had enough on it to cross the line despite the best efforts of Carey.

Playing into the wind in the second period, Welling allowed Weston more possession but despite their passing game serving them better, they were unable to do so in an area that hurt and the Wings looked more likely to extend their lead with their more incisive attacking play.

Poor defending gave Guthrie two further shooting chances that were off target then Jake Reid had a shot saved and fired another over before he added the Wings’ fourth.

Joe Healy threaded through a wonderful ball to Lafayette and for the third time, the Wings’ talisman claimed an assist with a cross that Reid finished with a first time touch.

The Wings made three changes and one of the substitutes, Theo Fairweather-Johnson, had a shot blocked by Jamie Price.

Pete Monks pulled a goal back in injury time from Ben Kirk’s ball in but there was still time for Carey to make one more save from a Fraser Franks free kick.

Next Saturday, Welling visit Boreham Wood looking for the point needed to claim the championship and automatic promotion.

Welling United: Mott, Franks, Gallagher, Day (Kinch 82), Martin, Acheampong, Healy, Clarke, Reid, Lafayette (Hughes-Mason 80), Guthrie (Fairweather-Johnson 80). Unused substitutes: Main, Craddock.

Weston-super-Mare: Carey, Price, Slocombe (Monks 73), Trowbridge, Villis, Laird, Stearn (Ingram 57), Kirk, Hemmings, Kington (Alvarez 64), Grubb. Unused substitutes: McClaggon, Irish

Referee: B. Holderness

Attendance:  851

Welling star player: Kurtis Guthrie.

Picture supplied by Dave Budden