For the second season running the Missioners arrived at fixture number 42 with their Conference life hanging in the balance, only this time we had to travel to face a play off chasing side as opposed to last season when the opposition had nothing to play for. In all honesty the performance this year shaded that of twelve months ago, sadly the result didn't and we find ourselves dropping to the third level of non-league football for the first time since the Conference structure arrived in the seventies.

Hayes started with purpose taking the game to their hosts who were slow out of the blocks, Will Hendry was felled just outside the area on nine minutes and Josh Scott took the kick but was just too high. Minutes later a quick throw on the left was flicked on by Scott to Ryan Ashe who saw his well struck drive deflected away for a corner by centre-back Mark Goodfellow.

Still the pressure continued, Ashe moved across the edge of the box before setting up a chance for Liam Feeney who saw his effort saved by a diving Jamie Turner in the Welling goal. With 18 minutes played the home side created their first chance, Jamie Day picking out Steve Perkins with a free-kick but the utility man failed to trouble Kevin Davies.

Welling's player of the year Danny Kedwell was then left unmarked to receive a pass from Leon Solomon but his shot went high and wide and within a minute his side were behind. Kieran Knight and Hendry combined in the middle of the park before the latter sent Feeney away down the left flank, he outpaced his defender before crossing perfectly into Scott's run and the striker picked his spot giving Turner no chance much to the delirium of the large Hayes contingent on the Park View Road terraces.

The Wings came back at us straight away, Solomon forced a save out of Davies from 25 yards but the Hayes stopper was equal to his effort gathering at the foot of his post. Feeney then fired over from 25 yards for the Missioners before the best move of the game by the home side saw Day cross from the right, Kedwell nodded the ball down perfectly to Des Boateng but he rushed his shot and was well off target.

So at the break it was Hayes staying up and with the other relevant games being goalless it was Thurrock who were saying goodbye, its amazing how much changes in 45 minutes sadly.

Hayes started the second period much as they had the first, now playing up the slope, Feeney broke away down the left side before cutting a ball back that amazingly evaded both Knight and Scott in the centre before going out for a throw on the far side. Still Hayes came forwards, Knight and Ashe combined before sliding the ball to Feeney who beat Turner with a deft back-heel only for the ball to spin in the dust and give time for the keeper to dive on it.

Perkins then had a header caught easily by Davies before Hendry went on a surge forwards from his own half reaching the edge of the Welling area before setting up a chance for Scott whose shot went across the face of Turner's goal and wide of the far post. Welling boss Adrian Pennock then threw his final sub into the fray in the shape of Martin Carthy, a Hayes nemesis from the past, and this gave the Wings new shape and started to cause many worried looks from the terraces, especially as we knew Thurrock were ahead.

Just over twenty minutes remained when Peter Collins threw himself in the way of a Sam Tucknott drive conceding a corner in the process. The kick was met by Boateng but thankfully he was off target. The game now reached the final ten minutes and all on the terraces knew that an equaliser now was more than serious because Thurrock had an unassailable lead and Basingstoke still had a point that would keep them above us if we let one in.

Carthy was denied by a vital Jack Haverson interception on 80 minutes and then a minute later heads were in hands as the home side drew level. Day found some space on the right before finding Boateng on the edge of the area, he was not closed down quick enough as he rifled a drive past Davies into the top corner of the Hayes net.

With the Missioners now throwing everything forwards and the crowd yelling that we had to score again it was Welling keeper Turner who proved the immovable object as a combination of poor finishing and a superb save sealed our fate. Knight had two golden chances to put us back in front, the first was blocked by a sliding defender and then with just five minutes to play the ball fell to him in the six yard box but he blasted it straight at Turner who pushed it up in the air and his defenders tidied up.

With a minute left to play the home side were reduced to ten men when substitute Michael Bartley fought his way goalwards despite Wings captain Chris Moore trying to remove the shirt from his back and referee Stewart issued a second yellow card and awarded a free-kick on the edge of the box. Hendry took responsibility for the kick and blasted it goalwards and with a slight deflection off the wall it appeared to be heading for the top corner until a superb full stretch save saw the ball pushed around the post. He must have learned that from his coach and former Hayes stopper Paul Hyde, "@*@&%@".

The final chance of the game came deep into stoppage time, the Missioners had thrown almost everything forwards for a corner with the exception of Davies and defender Gilbert Nuako. The Wings cleared the corner with ease and found a two on one going forwards, when the ball was slipped across the field to Tucknott who headed for Davies only to be upended by a desperate Nuako tackle. The defender had no choice with things as they stood, nor did referee Stewart who immediately brandished a red card.

Carthy took on the free-kick that looked to be heading for the top corner before a strong arm from Davies kept the ball out but that was the last action as Mr Stewart signalled an end to the Missioners stay in the Conference set up.


Report by Kevin Watts.