WELLINGTON could hold their heads high despite going down to a 2-0 defeat last night at Sherborne, whose victory sealed promotion back to the Toolstation premier.

With Mike Hawes – their newly-appointed manager for 2013-14 – watching from the stand, Wellington produced another hard-working display without really threatening the home side in a game of few chances.

Sherborne started brightly and both Matt Day and Marc Caines went close before they took the lead after 14 minutes.

When leading scorer Caines headed the ball forward, Wellington were slow to react and he burst forward to score with a snapshot which flew across keeper Jake Viney and into the net.

To their credit, Wellington refused to let that setback affect them and contained Sherborne to a header by skipper Steve Burton which was pushed over by Viney before half-time.

It was a similar in the second half with the home side almost doubling their advantage when James Thompson’s downward header came back off the post.

Wellington’s best effort fell to striker Jamie Dingle on the hour after a trademark long throw by Tom Ellis but he lifted his shot over the bar.

And Sherborne finally made it 2-0 with five minutes remaining as visiting skipper Scott Holland played the ball back to Viney, who has been playing through the pain of a foot injury for several weeks.

The keeper’s attempted clearance was charged down by substitute Matt Chant and, after the ball rebounded back off the upright, he followed up to waltz it into the net to start the Sherborne celebrations.

Wellington: Jake Viney, Nicky Ford, Tom Ellis, Scott Holland, James Garrad, Conor Bryant, Andy Butler, Jack Adams, Max Westlake, Jamie Dingle, Luke Redrup. Substitute: Joe Chamberlain (used). Attendance: 101.