At the turn of the year, the Welling United management at the time considered that finishing fourth from bottom and reaching a cup final would have been a success.

In that respect it was mission accomplished but the league campaign was still very disappointing, especially away from home.

However, they did put together an exciting Kent Senior Cup run and will be regretting their missed chances for not beating Dover Athletic in the final.

Their cause was not helped by injuries to four of their five centre halves so they went to a three central defenders formation with Matt Fish and Danny Waldren playing alongside Rickie Hayles.

Jordan Brown was also forced to sit out the match so Archie Johnson filled in at left wing back and Tom Richards switched to the right. Harry Crawford slotted into central midfield alongside Ali Fuseini and Sam Hatton.

Alex Cathline and Dan Walker played up front with Tyrone Marsh and Rhys Murrell-Williamson both cup tied.

Moses Emmanuel had the first opportunity for Dover but Chris Lewington made an easy save. Mitch Pinnock then shot well over after Joe Healy held up well.

After that, Welling enjoyed a good spell starting when Mitch Walker made a good save from Cathline who had been played in by Fuseini.

Next, Walker of Welling was denied by Walker of Dover then Fuseini found Richards with a great ball. He cut in and shot with power but straight at Walker.

Hatton put a free kick over the bar then Walker was also off target. Cathline went on a marauding run before being halted by a well timed tackle by Loui Fazakerley then Dover backed off allowing Fuseini to find Hatton with time and space to fire just wide.

Just before the interval Fuseini curled an effort in that Walker saved at the second attempt.

Immediately after the break Cathline had a shot saved but Welling paid the price for not making the most of their superiority on 54 minutes.

Former Wing, Ross Lafayette, found the space twenty yards out to send a curler into the top corner that gave Lewington no chance.

Bondz N' Gala was cautioned for hauling down Cathline as Welling searched for an immediate response.

Healy had a long shot saved comfortably by Lewington before a second Dover player, Fazakerley, was cautioned for a cynical tackle to halt an attack.

Crawford had a shot blocked and it came out to Hayles who fired high and wide. Then Richards fired over after receiving a return pass from Crawford from a short corner.

Another Crawford effort from 20 yards was well saved before Welling made a tactical change by bringing on Pierre Joseph-Dubois for the excellent Johnson.

Once more, Walker denied Walker when Dover's England C goalkeeper made a great save from the Welling striker.

Peter Skapetis tried his luck for Dover with an overhead effort that went wide just after coming on as a substitute before Sam Magri had a header saved by Lewington from the Whites' only corner of the match.

Hayles had a header saved from another Richards corner before Hatton got in behind the Dover defence but could not head the high ball towards goal..

Jamie Slabber came on as a substitute for Fish and headed wide from a Walker cross immediately.

Any hope that Welling had of taking the game to penalties ended when Dover went two up with three minutes to go. Healy sent over a free kick to the far post and Aswad Thomas leapt to head home.

James Hurst's time wasting resulted in the third Dover yellow card before Welling saw one last chance go when Jim Stevenson hacked Hayles header off the line.

That brought to an end an eventful season for the Wings, but not one that well be remembered with fondness by their supporters.

Welling United: Lewington, Richards, Johnson (Joseph-Dubois 71), Fish (Slabber 82), Waldren, Hayles, Fuseini, Hatton, Cathline, Crawford, Walker. Subs not used: Leacock, Francis, Agu.