Despite keeping league leaders Havant and Waterlooville down to just one clear cut chance Welling United crashed to defeat.
With Dartford hot on their heels, Havant needed the three points to maintain their top spot. For Welling, defeat saw them drop two places outside the play-off zone and they will need to bounce back quickly.
Defensively, Havant are strong and in this match they recorded their 20th clean sheet of the season, which is a club record but up front they struggled to create opportunities against a solid Welling back four.
In the early stages the visitors created a few half chances, notably when Jason Prior screwed a shot across the face of goal but Bailey Vose’s only save of note was from a long range shot from Andreas Robinson which he turned round the post at full length.
As the game went into first half injury time, Welling twice came close. First Ryan Young made a stunning save when tipping Jack Jebb’s free kick onto the bar and over. Then from the corner, Jebb picked out Jack Parkinson but his close range header hit the post and came out.
After the break, Welling had the advantage of the slope and asked more questions. Adam Coombes had a header that came back off the post but it wouldn’t have counted as the officials spotted an infringement of some sort.
Coombes then got onto the end of a magnificent Jebb through ball but his fierce shot was saved superbly by Young.
Once more Coombes was in the thick of the action when his header was saved. However, his next foray proved to be his last. Once more, he got behind the Havant back three but as he chased the ball he pulled up holding the back of his leg before being helped off. Ryan Hall came on in his place and Jamie Philpot moved into the central striker role.
On seventy-two minutes, Havant scored the only goal, and a scrappy one at that. Rory Williams’ corner pinged around the penalty area and fell for Dan Strugnell to smash home from close range.
So happy was he to score his first goal for two years that he went off on a strange celebration in which he injured himself and his afternoon was done.
Philpot had a great chance to level when Joe Healy headed Jebb’s cross back across goal but the on-loan Millwall striker couldn’t keep his effort down.
Two more half chances came his way but the first was headed wide and the second saved allowing Havant to claim the victory.
Welling United: Vose, Driver, Jefford, Durojaiye (Nanetti 83), Coyle, Parkinson, Jebb, Healy, Goldberg, Coombes (Hall 64), Philpot.
Subs not used: Okuonghae, Johnson, Dymond.
Havant and Waterlooville: Young, Strugnell (Tarbuck 72), Williams, Lewis, Woodford, Harris, Robinson, Hayter (Rutherford 58), Prior, Fogden, Rose (Stock 58).
Subs not used: Tubbs, Dudzinski.
Welling United:
Goalscorers: None
Yellow cards: None
Red cards: None
Havant and Waterlooville:
Goalscorers: Strugnell (72)
Yellow cards: Lewis
Red cards: None
Referee: Wayne Cartmel
Assistants: Ollie Butcher and Andy Loe
Attendance: 603
Welling star player: Joe Healy
Pictures supplied by Dave Budden.