KO after two rounds as Hawks make further Trophy progress
Mon Dec 2 2013, 22:26
Sahr Kabba’s 11th minute goal was enough to see off Basingstoke Town in tonight’s FA Trophy First Round replay at Westleigh Park. As was the case against Chelmsford last week, it was another great solo effort from the striker that beat the visiting defence after he picked up the ball 25 yards out.
The win comes after Saturday's goalless trip to the Camrose that saw neither side able to progress cleanly to the second round.
Basingstoke took time to build pressure in the replay, but kept themselves in the contest and came close to equalising on the hour when Scott Bevan managed a fingertip touch to push Wes Daly’s strike onto the bar. The Hawks’ keeper then showed lightning reactions in the minutes that followed to keep out a point blank shot from Neil Barrett.
Ultimately though, the Hawks proved themselves to be the better side over the course of the two legged affair, and move on to play Whitehawk away in the last 32 of the competition on December 14th.
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Hawks add to City’s misery with 3-0 win
Thu Nov 28 2013, 18:03
The Hawks overturned struggling Chelmsford City 3-0 at Westleigh Park last night. The Essex side arrived in Hampshire off the back of five straight defeats with just one goal scored in the last month and offered little resistance to a host side looking for a comeback after Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at Bromley.
The Hawks took the lead after just ten minutes. Nic Ciardini was tripped in the box and although City keeper Carl Pentney reached the midfielder’s penalty kick, Scott Jones was quickest to react to the rebound and fired it into the bottom corner.
Ciardini then did score five minutes from the break when he sent home a cross from Perry Ryan, and a minute from the hour Sahr Kabba ensured there was no way back in for beleaguered City when his superb solo run took him through the visiting defence for a fine individual finish.
The win sees the Hawks 14th in the table, but still just two wins away from a spot in the playoffs.
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Cup success at Sutton for Hawks
Wed Nov 20 2013, 17:42
The Hawks move on to face Basingstoke Town in the first round proper of the FA Trophy after beating fellow Conference South side Sutton United 2-1 in Surrey on Saturday. The Hawks took an early lead in the tie when Sahr Kabba was brought down in the box by Jamie Stuart in the 15th minute, and Christian Nanetti converted from the penalty spot.
The Hawks could have been two up when Stuart gave away a second penalty, but this time Nanetti’s shot came back off the post before Steve Ramsey’s attempt to turn home the rebound hit the same upright.
The Hawks kept up the pressure however and struck again ten minutes from the end when Substitute Scott Jones found space to cross for Kabba to finish. Sutton claimed a goal back three minutes later when Craig Dundas buried an edge of the box shot, but the hosts were unable to captialise on their second wind.
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The Hawks now face an away trip to Basingstoke in the next round to be played on November 30th at the Camrose.
Hold-ups hinder Hawks
Wed Nov 6 2013, 15:46
A Ross Stearn hat-trick saw the Hawks beaten 3-1 in Bath at the weekend, with only a 49th minute consolation from Sahr Kabba to spare their blushes.
Calamity struck even before kick off as hold ups enroute to Twerton Park caused a rushed arrival and a fifteen minute delay to the start of the game.
Stearn fired Bath’s opener through the Hawks wall from a free kick after 16 minutes.
A disjointed half followed from the visitors, who failed to register their presence in the match. It wasn’t until half time and the introduction of Sahr Kabba that the Hawks got onto the score sheet, but just as they were finding their feet play was held up while an injury to the referee’s assistant was dealt with.
Stearn then put Bath back in control in the 71st minute, with a third goal scored from the penalty spot four minutes after that.
The defeat puts the Hawks 13th in the table, but still just five points shy of the playoff bracket.
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Ryan strike levels for Hawks
Thu Oct 31 2013, 15:34
The Hawks were forced to settle for point at home on Saturday after dreawing 1-1 with Eastbourne Borough. After a bright start the hosts looked certain to boss the game, but were hit on the break after 36 minutes when Simon Johnson slipped through the defence to fire past Scott Bevan.
Four minutes later the Hawks were on level terms when Perry Ryan rifled a free kick rolled into his path by Jesse Kewley-Graham into the top corner, but the side struggled to regain their early form in a second half that saw more from the visitors.
The draw puts the Hawks squarely in mid-table in 11th place, with a match against similarly positioned Bath City to come this weekend.
Picture Dave Haines.
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