Ross Lafayette scored the only goal as Welling battled to victory at Havant & Waterlooville on Saturday.

Wings manager Jamie Day handed a debut to Connor McLaren at right-back, while Kurtis Guthrie – another new signing – was named among the substitutes.

A sticky pitch made for a scrappy game. Joe Healy fired wide for the visitors before Jake Gallagher produced a superb sliding block to deny Havant’s Scott Jones.

Day went close to putting his side in front with a free-kick which Hawks goalkeeper Clark Masters did well to keep out.

However, the winning goal arrived 11 minutes from time. Lafayette met Day’s corner and had two attempts blocked before, with the aid of a kind deflection, he found the back of the net.

The win lifts Welling to fifth in Blue Square Bet South.