Welling Town and Whitstable Town shared four goals in an entertaining end to the 2022-23 season at Chatham Town’s ground. The point was enough to ensure the hosts remain at Step 5, although results elsewhere meant they would have been safe anyway, while Whitstable were destined to finish fifth whatever the result. Dean Grant fired Whitstable ahead, but Sam Bailey levelled things with a good strike before the break. Another shot from outside the box by Nathan Palmer put Welling ahead in the second half, only for Grant to have the final say with his second, meaning there were no losers on the last day.

Back in September, Welling Town were the visitors in the first ever league match played on the new 3G pitch at the Belmont. Whitstable had secured maximum points from their three opening away games and just under five hundred had turned out to watch, but Welling spoiled the party with a 3-1 win. The teams have had contrasting fortunes since and after some promising recent form Whitstable had secured fifth place, but Welling needed at least a point to deny Canterbury City the chance of overtaking them with a win against champions Erith and Belvedere, which could have seen them relegated. Ryan King-Elliott was appointed player-manager of Welling in February and their team was much changed from the previous encounter. Whitstable were without Jefferson Aibangbee for this game after he was injured in training. There was a larger than average crowd of 131 at their shared Chatham home, the majority seemingly away supporters.

The first half saw plenty of goal attempts by both teams and Whitstable almost struck in the 7th minute when James Jeffrey met a Liam Gillies cross from the right, but was denied by the imposing figure of George Kamurasi in the home goal. Welling were happy to shoot from distance and Dan Eason parried a firm Sam Bailey shot. Some good approach play by Whitstable on the left gave Josh Oliver the chance to test Kamurasi at his near post. Whitstable opened the scoring in the 16th minute when Gillies received the ball from Tom Mills and slipped it through to Dean Grant who raced clear and lifted the ball over Kamurasi into the net. There were some appeals for offside, as it looked tight, but the assistant was happy to confirm the goal. The game continued to be quite open and Gillies shot over, Eason stopped another Bailey long shot and Kamurasi saved again at his near post to deny Oliver. Welling equalised in the 23rd minute, although Whitstable felt there was a handball by Kian Garlinge at the start of the move, but play continued and Bailey cut in from the right before firing a left footed shot over Eason from just outside the area. Bailey then set up Garlinge whose shot was kept out by Eason. Kweku Ansah and Nathan Palmer were both off target as Welling continued to press, although a Jeffrey volley was saved by Kamurasi at the other end. Just before half time, Harry Gamble was penalised, somewhat harshly, but the free kick stuck the wall and the rebound was lifted over the bar by Ansah. The half ended with Whitstable on the attack and Oliver shot over, leaving the score 1-1.

Early in the second half, Gillies found Jeffrey who made space for a goal bound shot that was deflected wide by his team mate Oliver. Welling took the lead for the first time in the 63rd minute when Ansah won possession and passed to former Erith and Belvedere striker Nathan Palmer who curled the ball over Eason into the far corner from 20 yards. There followed several lengthy stoppages for injuries and substitutions, with Conrad Lee crashing into the barrier behind the goal in an incident that led to some pushing and shoving and yellow cards. Garlinge then injured himself in a poor challenge on Whitstable substitute Zack Jennings and was shown a yellow card as he slowly left the field with a nasty looking shoulder problem. Whitstable tied things up at 2-2 in the 83rd minute when Harry O’Donnell collected a pass from Gillies on the left and delivered a pinpoint cross for Grant to finish at the back post. Welling appeared happy with the point they required and there were few further opportunities, but Whitstable came closest in added time. Kamurasi just managed to get down to turn a low Gillies shot around the post and the two subsequent corner kicks brought no reward.

So, the curtain comes down on Whitstable’s first season back in the SCEFL Premier Division and a fifth placed finish that would earn a play off spot next season when Step 5 is brought into line with the rest of football. The division promises to be stronger, but Whitstable will hope to continue their recent progress to give them a chance of an Isthmian League return. The support for the team has been wonderful this season, with an average home attendance of 439 for the 19 league matches.

Welling	Data	Whitstable
5	Shots on target	7
4	Shots off target	2
3	Shots blocked	3
1	Corners	5
11	Fouls conceded	9
4	Offside	7
0	Penalties	0

Welling Town
George Kamurasi (c), Reion McFarlane (Tyreese Heslop 89), Conrad Lee, Kian Garlinge (Ryan King-Elliott 76), Corey Holder, Briggs Ojemen, Sam Bailey, Nathan Palmer, Lauris Chin, Sam Johnson (Noah Hamelberg 72), Kweku Ansah.
Sub (unused): Shaq Williams
Goals: Sam Bailey 23, Nathan Palmer 63.
Yellow cards: George Kamurasi 66, Conrad Lee 69, Kian Garlinge 76.

Whitstable Town
Dan Eason, Jake Mackenzie, George Sheminant (Zack Jennings 72), Will Thomas (Caoilte Deakin 77), Ashley Sains, Tom Mills (c), Dean Grant, Liam Gillies, James Jeffrey (Harry O’Donnell 60), Harry Gamble, Josh Oliver.
Subs (unused): Cameron Chamberlain, Jacob Couzens.
Goals: Dean Grant 16, 83.
Yellow cards: Harry Gamble 43, Josh Oliver 66.

Attendance: 131
Referee: Matthew Charles
Assistants: Amarachi Okamgba & Daniel Davis