WELLING UNITED 6 HALIFAX TOWN 2

WELLING United rounded off their best ever season in the Vauxhall Conference with a systematic destruction of newly-crowned champions Halifax. The visitors, strongly supported, were keen to bid goodbye to the league on a winning note, but were embarrassed by a Wings side playing possibly the best football ever seen at Park View Road.

Mark Hynes stunned the Shaymen after four minutes when he mis-hit the ball while off-balance. His effort completely wrong-footed Halifax keeper Andy Rhodes to open Welling's account. Hynes, Tony Dolby and Richard Vercesi were a constant threat and Wings carved out a host of clear chances before the visitors equalised on 21 minutes. John Farley failed to stop Geoff Horsfield meeting a cross from the left and the ace goal poacher beat keeper Glen Knight.

However, the home side was ahead again a minute later. Skipper Mike Rutherford put Hynes clear and he drove past Rhodes for his second. The striker completed his hat trick a minute before the break - an accurate Mark Cooper cross provided him with the opportunity to race in and blast the ball home with his first touch.

Seven minutes after the break, Farley found the net with his less-favoured right foot, taking his season's tally to two. Vercesi then made it five before Cooper completed the rout with a clinical finish from a tight angle on 63 minutes. Halifax pulled one back on 78 minutes through Gary Brook after Knight had brilliantly saved a penalty six minutes before.

Welling's fifth straight win shows they can match the best, and with style. Wings boss Kevin Hales was unfortunate to miss out on the manager of the month award for April which went to J Harvey from Morcambe.

"I think we got ourselves safe with eight or nine games to go and it gave the lads a bit of confidence," said Hales who hoped to continue where he left off this season. He said his main concerns during the close season were hanging on to his better players and acquiring some to strengthen the squad.

Welling: Knight, Watts, Dolby, Farley, Skiverton, Vercesi, Hanlon, Rutherford, Hynes, Cooper, Chapman. Att: 1,344.

Graham Bunce

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