-

They were forced to call off three National League South games last month, against Welling, Hungerford and Dorking, after a staff member tested positive for Covid-19.

After returning to action by beating Hungerford on Saturday, just three days after their self-isolation period finished, the club have now recorded more positive tests - this time among players and staff.

As a result, tonight’s return fixture at Hungerford has been postponed - the club’s seventh NL South postponement due to the pandemic this season after games with Bath, Welling (twice), Hungerford, Dorking and Eastbourne Borough were called off.

Under previous National League policy, a positive test resulted in an automatic 10-day self-isolation period for all players and backroom staff.

But as The News went to press last night, there was a possibility the next two games - this Saturday’s trip to Chippenham and next Tuesday’s match at Hampton & Richmond Borough - could still go ahead due to a change in policy.

The policy change could see the NL aligning themselves with the Premier League and EFL, where games are not automatically called off even if a club reports two or three positive tests. Rather than the NL’s blanket 10-day self isolation rule, each case is considered on its own ‘merits’ in the top four tiers.

But if the policy was not altered, the Chippenham and Hampton games would also be off and Hawks’ players would be self-isolating until January 13 - just a few days before facing National League Altrincham in the fourth round of the FA Trophy.

If Chippenham and Hampton are also called off, Hawks’ next league game is scheduled to be at Bath City on Tuesday, January 19.

By then, they will have 30 league games - three-quarters of their season - left to play. And, with the 2020/21 campaign due to run until May 29, will have 131 days in which to play them.

That’s only one every 4.3 days, so still not even two matches a week.

Hawks were without five players at the weekend due to the pandemic.

Oxford United loanee Leon Chambers-Parillon, Theo Widdrington and Daniel Ajakayie were self-isolating while Anthony Straker and Danny Kedwell were told to stay away after family members woke up on Saturday morning feeling unwell.

In addition, backroom staff and club officials were also absent for self-isolating reasons and kitman Richie Pope remains in QA Hospital with the virus.

Since December 22, an amazing 22 National League South games have been postponed.

That figure will rise to 25 tonight - in the space of just 15 days, lest we forget - as Hungerford v Hawks goes the same way as Dulwich v Maidstone and Hampton & Richmond v Slough.

Despite all the postponements, Hawks boss Paul Doswell is still keen to see the season continue without any need for a circuit breaker.

He told The News after Saturday’s 4-2 win against Hungerford: ‘I don’t see how a circuit breaker would change things.

‘But we will be dictated to by the Premier League. If they were to stop we would stop as well and I could accept that, but I would prefer it if we didn’t stop.’