Shaun Wilkinson's thumping 36th-minute strike proved enough to give the Hawks an 11-point cushion above the drop zone with just four games remaining.

Though not mathematically assured, it would now take a collapse of monumental proportions for the Hawks to suffer relegation.

Manager Shaun Gale was delighted with the application and effort shown by his players and felt anything other than a win would have been a travesty.

'Welling are a decent side who have turned over some good teams of late,' said Gale.

'In the first half we totally dominated them and we got a deserved goal which came from a free-kick.

'We started at a great tempo and played some great football.

'Some of the movement out there and approach play was fantastic and we just lacked the finish.

'Welling hardly had a kick at that stage and if we had gone in two or three goals up, then they couldn't have complained.

'The difference is you have to take your chances and we created a few.'

Craig Watkins, Luke Medley and Luke Nightingale all failed to take reasonable chances before midfielder Wilkinson showed them how it should be done after the Hawks were awarded a free-kick just outside the area.

Skipper Jamie Collins moved the ball to his right and Wilkinson smashed home a low drive at the near post with goalkeeper Charlie Mitten rooted to the spot.

In the 10 minutes remaining up to the interval the visitors hardly got out of their own half as the Hawks pinned them back.

The Hawks couldn't quite match their domination after the break with Welling making it far more of an even contest.

'After the break they came out and threw everything they had at us,' said Gale.

'We didn't exactly sit back but we didn't look after the ball as well as we should have done.

'But we defended well when we had to'

The Hawks' habit of conceding late goals has cost them valuable points of late and the home fans had to endure another frantic finish before the points were safe.

In the four minutes of added time at the end of the game the Hawks lived dangerously. Goalkeeper Kevin Scriven sliced a clearance behind for a corner from which a header was cleared off the line at the far post.

Moments later, a shot through the crowded goalmouth was kicked away in front of goal with the Hawks fans' hearts in their mouths as they watched their side flirt with danger.

But the Hawks held on for three vital points that should ease the pressure in the final three weeks of the season.

Hawks: Scriven 7; Hinshelwood 8, Gasson 7, Collins 7, Elphick 8, Simpemba 7, Fogden 7, Wilkinson 8, Watkins 7, Nightingale 8, Medley 7 ( Gray 7; 67m).