Welling United’s disappointing April seemed likely to end with more misery until an excellent second half sent their supporters home with smiles on their faces.

Having taken an early lead, the Wings were hit hard by three Southport strikes. After the break, Welling pulled one back almost immediately and two further goals ensured a satisfying end to the season.

When Ross Lafayette volleyed Welling ahead in the tenth minute from Harry Beautyman’s half cleared corner, nobody would have guessed what drama would follow.

Within five minutes, Southport equalised when Luke George fired home from outside the penalty area.

Vinny Mukendi then put the visitors ahead with a measured finish after Osayamen Osawe’s shot was blocked out to him.

Jake Gallagher shot wide for Welling before Southport increased their lead on 38 minutes.

Mukendi was again involved before John O’Sullivan struck home with a well hit long shot.

Gallagher and Tobi Sho-Silva combined to allow Joe Healy a volley at goal that was saved by Danny Hurst, then Gallagher was unable to finish at full stretch after Lafayette flicked on Sho-Silva’s low cross.

Two minutes after the interval, Beautyman reduced the arrears with a spectacular free kick into the top corner as the comeback began.

Hurst then made a brilliant save to tip over Lafayette’s header having been wrong footed by Healy’s nod back from Beautyman’s corner.

Wonderful through balls by Healy twice split the Southport defence. First Sho-Silva was thwarted by the legs of Hurst but the Sandgrounders’ custodian was powerless to stop Gallagher from equalising from the second when the midfielder struck powerfully into the roof of the net.

Another outstanding save from Hurst thwarted Gallagher after Sho-Silva controlled Tom Bender’s throw in before laying it back.

Blaine Hudson hooked over when another corner caused havoc then Beautyman was unable to provide a finish when Bender’s long throw evaded all.

The opportunity for Welling to go ahead was handed to them literally when Toto Nsiala palmed a cross away inside the penalty area and was cautioned for good measure.

Lafayette stepped up and sent Hurst the wrong way for his sixteenth league goal to cap an excellent first season at Skrill Premier level.

Bender was caught by a nasty late raking tackle down his shin, and an altercation followed. John Dillon of Southport was cautioned, Nsiala received a second yellow card and was dismissed, and Welling’s Sho-Silva was then booked for his part in it.

Loui Fazakerley’s name followed for a foul on the edge of the penalty area but Emmanuel Monthe’s weak free kick hit the defensive wall.

Another free kick, accompanied by a caution for Bender, presented the ten man Sandgrounders with another opportunity but Dillon executed it equally badly.

Substitute Toby Ajala and Fazakerley were both kept out by Hurst before Quade Taylor shot wide late on.

Victory took Welling on to sixty points and a sixteenth placed finish in a hugely satisfying first season back at the top table of non league football.

 

Welling United: Butcher, Fazakerley, Bender (Obersteller 85), Wakefield, Taylor, Hudson, Beautyman, Gallagher, Sho-Silva (Ajala 80), Lafayette, Healy (Karagiannis 87).

Unused substitute: Day, Turner.

Southport: Hurst, Brown, Nsiala, Mukendi, Challoner, George, Fitzpatrick, Osawe, Monthe, O’Sullivan, Dillon.

Unused substitutes: Rutherford, Joyce, Lynch, Boothman, Daly.

Referee: Tim Robinson

Assistants: Graham Kinnear and Anthony Serrano

Fourth Official: Nolan Wilde

Attendance: 521

Welling star man: Tom Bender

Pictures supplied by Dave Budden.