Paul Doswell reveals severity of heated half-time exchange and tells what made crucial difference in Hawks' key victory over Braintree as play-off charge continues

The Hawks boss was seething with his players as the game was locked level at 0-0 at half-time - branding his side’s efforts in the first 45 minutes as 'ragged and weak'.

But after a heated team talk at the interval, which saw Doswell the most irate he's been since arriving at the club in the summer of 2019, Manny Duku, an own-goal from goalkeeper William Johnson, Tommy Wright and Scott Rendell fired the hosts to a comfortable victory in the end on home turf.

Although Doswell conceded the second-half onslaught, which saw Hawks net three goals in a 21-minute period, was not something he saw coming on the back of a shoddy first 45 minutes.

‘If anyone was stood outside the dressing room door (at half-time), I think Bairdy (Ian Baird; assistant manager) went first and I went second (with some stern words),’ told Doswell.

‘It was unacceptable (first-half performance), for what was on the game, we weren't on it. We didn't win any headers, we didn't win any tackles, we didn't have any energy in us.

‘We were lucky to come in at half-time at 0-0. It's probably the strongest I've been since I've been at the football club (with half-time words).

‘I thought we looked ragged, we looked weak, we lost every tackle, every header. With only seven games to go (before Braintree match) - we talk about a seven-game season - you cannot afford a half like that.’

Doswell felt his three changes made a key contribution in turning things in Hawks' favour. Tommy Wright - himself carrying a knee issue - came on for the injured Alex Wall late in the first half while both Scott Rendell and Josh Passley were introduced in place of Stefan Payne and Benny Read at the break.

Both Wright and Rendell would net after the restart, with Passley providing the assist for Duku's 54th-minute opener.

Doswell added: ‘I'll tell you what made the difference, were the three substitutes. Benny Read was booked and was very poor - he lost every header.

‘Stefan (Payne) got a knee in the back of his back which gave him a dead glute, he wanted to carry on but he couldn't even run, so I had to drag him off.

‘I thought Rendell (Scott; introduced at half-time) was brilliant. It was a brilliant number nine performance and I thought his knowledge of the game shone through.

‘Passley (Josh) was outstanding but you have to give him a kick to actually get that performance. You have to drop him to see the real Josh Passley which is disappointing.

‘Obviously Tommy Wright, who's not trained all week because of his knee (ongoing meniscus issue), he said to us on Thursday his knee was too sore and he wouldn't be able to make it (to feature against Braintree). I think all three subs made a real, real difference.’