Defeat at Woking means that Welling United will remain in the Vanarama National League South.

However, they gave everything the had in the play-off decider and couldn’t have come much closer.

Although the hosts started in a lively fashion it was Welling who had the first goal attempt when Bradley Goldberg curled an effort over.

Danny Mills then powered through but drilled his shot into the side netting.

Jordan Gibbons then came to Welling’s rescue when coming round behind to clear after after a header forward from a free kick had beaten Dan Wilks.

Brilliant wing-play by Brendan Kiernan set him up to cross. Although Thierry Audel couldn’t get on the end of it, it came to Gavin McCallum who drove low into the side netting.

Moussa Diarra headed wide from Max Kretzschmar’s free kick before Welling came desperately close to breaking the dead-lock. Goldberg made space for himself before seeing his shot come back off the inside of the far upright and out into the grateful arms of the prone Craig Ross.

Josh Hill cleared off the line when Armani Little was sent clear by Reise Allassani before Woking scored the opener four minutes beyond the break. Audel gave away a free kick with a rash tackle on the edge of the penalty area and was booked. Little stepped up to take the free kick and curled it over the wall beyond Wilks.

After the interval, Welling pressed and Audel fired over from a half cleared corner before Jake Hyde having not been flagged for offside earlier in the move, broke free to be thwarted by an excellent save by Dan Wilks.

Josh Casey, who should have been cautioned for a hideous challenge just before the break, was shown a yellow card when wrestling Bradley Goldberg to the ground.

Coventry City loanee Reise Allassani then had a chance but his fierce near post shot was beaten out well by Wilks.

Nassim L’Ghoul came on as a substitute and was soon involved in a major talking point. Having slipped he got up to regain his composure only to be tumbled by Jack Cook. It looked to be a clear cut penalty but the referee felt otherwise.

Another Kiernan cross picked out Mills but he was unable to get behind it and headed wide.

Josh Hill then came close with a half volley but Ben Gerring was brave and put his head in the way to deflect it wide.

Mills was next to come close and he burst through and hit a fierce shot that Ross could only beat out but Gerring was first to the rebound to hook away.

Substitute Julien Anau shot wide from deep for the Wings before Allassani fired over from a tight angle

Anau had another shot that was deflected over after Woking again struggled to clear a corner before they broke and Hyde got through down the right hand side but Wilks made another good near post save.

As the game moved into injury time, Welling won one last corner and threw Wilks forward for it but nothing came of it and soon after it was Woking who were celebrating.

Welling United: Wilks, Gibbons, Braham-Barrett, Mendy (Anau 64), Hill, Audel, Kiernan, Ijaha, Mills, Goldberg (Bettamer 71), McCallum (L’Ghoul 64). Subs not used: Hajizadeh, Orlu.