Welling boss Warren Feeney admitted his side’s ability to take points off the top sides in National League South is a reflection of their mentality.

The Wings beat champions Ebbsfleet at Park View Road on Saturday, having drawn the away game with just nine men. They’ve also stuffed Oxford City at home, drawn with Dartford and won at Chelmsford.

But they only secured National League South football for next season by beating Ebbsfleet at the weekend as their record against the division’s lesser lights leaves a lot to be desired.

“I said to the players you look at the teams in the top six and we’ve taken points off the lot of them,” said Feeney.

“No disrespect but look at the bottom six and we haven’t. That’s a mentality thing.

“I knew at the start of the year that people were getting excited and we were going to finish here or there, no-one gives us the right from where we finished last year.

“We’ve got to get stability, we’ve got to get a core of players that we can build on and keep. I knew that and that’s why I said let’s be competitive.

“Yes, I was disappointed with times when we’ve had a lot of draws but you can’t say we haven’t been competitive.

“I knew Ebbsfleet would excite the boys as we were coming to play the league champions but we’ve got to take that into the games where there’s teams below us that we’re expected to beat. We beat Ebbsfleet in the quarter-final of the Kent Senior Cup but then went to Chatham and lost.

“Some of them are not going to get the chance to play at a league stadium and at the end of the day it was a cup final. It’s a mentality thing, beating Ebbsfleet and then losing to Chatham. That’s the one thing we’ve got to get right.”

After a slow start against the Fleet, Feeney felt his team deserved the three points in the end.

Stefan Payne scored a hat-trick, which proved the difference between the two sides.

“I wasn’t pleased with the first 20-30 minutes of the game, I felt we showed them to much respect,” said the Wings boss.

“They’re champions for a reason but I thought we didn’t get close to them.

“I said we’ve got to try and press them high as they like to play football but after the 30-minute mark I thought we deserved the win and we could have scored a couple more. You know they’re going to have chances but so did we.

“I said to the players at half-time to raise it, put balls in areas where you’re going to hurt them but also love defending.”

On Payne’s treble, Feeney added: “Payne gets a lot of critics but the last three or four games he has been outstanding for us.

“He’s shown his class, a proper centre-forward holding the ball up and occupying defenders. I thought he took his goals very well, they were striker’s goals and I’m pleased for him.”

Left-back Chi Ezennolim was given the runaround by Darren McQueen in the opening half-hour, leading to boss Feeney shouting instructions to his player on the far side of the pitch.

Ezennolim was later voted player-of-the-year by Welling fans and Feeney was pleased with his improvement after the break.

“People look at Chi and I’m probably his biggest critic,” said Feeney. “He loves going forward but for me defenders defend first and foremost. I said (at half-time) that he’s got to get on his game and second half I wanted a response, and he certainly showed that.

Report: Welling 3-2 Ebbsfleet

“I said at half-time, if you’re that good at one against one you’ve got to make sure you win that. But if you’ve got a winger like McQueen who can come inside or outside, you’ve got to try and stop the ball as it’s travelling in the air.

“The one time you don’t and he takes you on and beats you, he won free-kicks. I thought second half he did a lot better, he’s responded and that’s all you can ask for.”