Wealdstone can still finish 11th in the Conference South, despite falling to a 2-0 defeat against Whitehawk in their final home game of the season on Saturday.

The Hawks, who won promotion to level two of the non-league pyramid a year before Gordon Bartlett’s men did, strengthened their grip on the final play-off place with the win at Grosvenor Vale.

Sam Gargan struck for the visitors from close-range on 38 minutes before Jake Robinson doubled up seven minutes from time.

The promotion chasers came within inches of the lead after ten minutes when former Grimsby Town winger Scott Neilson saw a thunderous free-kick brilliantly tipped onto the underside of the bar by Jonathan North.

The visitors regained possession and crossed from the right for ex-Peterborough United hitman Mills to head in unmarked, but the effort was ruled out for offside.

Prompted by the impressive Sergio Torres, Whitehawk dominated the early exchanges but Wealdstone almost equalised when they too hit the post via Scott McGleish.

Stones' veteran striker also had a goal ruled out for offside but the visitors took the lead when a corner from the right saw Mills rise highest to head goalwards and Gargan applied the final touch.

Wealdstone skipper Wes Parker was then lost to injury just before the break.

Yet the hosts came close to a leveller six minutes after the restart when Shaun Lucien fired in a low cross for Jefferson Louis, whose close-range toe-poke was well saved by Hawks keeper Craig Ross.

The visitors seemed content to sit on their slender lead and almost paid the price on 70 minutes when Matt Ball met a corner from the right on the volley, forcing Ross into a flying save.

But the points were sealed late on when Scott Davies lost the ball in midfield and Mills played in substitute Jake Robinson to score from close range.

Wealdstone: North; Martin, Parker (c) (Hammond 42), Hamblin, Watts; Lucien, Godfrey (Davies 67), Ball, O'Nien (Jolly 80); McGleish, Louis.

Subs: Brown, Wright.

Attendance: 814