Andy Woodman believes keeping Whitehawk up feels like winning at Wembley.

The Hawks boss marked the first anniversary of FA Cup semi-final success on the coaching staff of Crystal Palace by watching his current team head off the threat of a last-day relegation decider.

Goals from Frankie Sutherland and Alex Osborn secured a well deserved 2-0 win at home to play-off hopefuls Poole in the penultimate round of National League south games.

That looked like keeping Whitehawk two points clear of Gosport, who they visit on the final day.

Then, as players took the applause of their fans, they heard Gosport had conceded an equaliser deep into added time at Concord, increasing the gap above the drop zone to an impregnable four points.

Woodman, who came in at the end of January as Hawks fifth manager of the season, said: “I had resigned myself to it going to the last game.

“I just felt it was in the stars and I was actually really confident.

“The way we played (on Saturday), I feel we are in a good place now.

“I’m gutted the season is finishing because we now have a group of players who are drilled to do what we want them to do.

“I’m happy. My wife and my son (England under-20s’ keeper Freddie) flew down from Scotland for the game and it has been nice for my family because there are enough tough times.

“I’ve just told the boys in the changing room they should never take football for granted.

“This time last year I was sitting in a dressing room at Wembley Stadium after we had won an FA Cup semi-final. “But I had as much enjoyment as I did exactly a year ago.

“I’m glad for the players, I’m glad for the owners because they get a bit of criticism and it is unfair because they are nice people. I’m glad for everybody.”

Sutherland gave Hawks the start they needed with an angled drive from outside the box on 14 minutes.

They had more chances going up the hill but hearts were in mouths when Steve Devlin flashed a volley narrowly wide for Poole four minutes into added time.

Hawks got in great positions in the second half and Nick Hutchings pulled off a good save from Danny Mills. But nerves were well and truly eased on 67 minutes when Mills robbed a defender, cut inside and rolled the ball across goal for the lively Osborn to finish off.

Osborn said: “It’s one of the best feelings I’ve had in football. I’ve been in play-offs, I signed for Dagenham and they were promoted and this is a much better feeling.

“To be involved in it and score an important goal is unbelievable.

“The gaffer got us in this week and we were just grafting, working at what we were going to do.

“I suppose my goal gave us breathing space. But I’ll be honest, when the ball was coming to me, it was bobbling all over the place.

“I was thinking ‘Just connect with it correctly’ because, as the boys said to me afterwards, we have seen people miss chances like that. I was so relieved for it to hit the back of the net.”