Boss Doswell ‘proud’ of Hawks’ efforts in agonising late home defeat to National League South table-toppers Ebbsfleet

Doswell thought his side should have had a ‘nailed on’ penalty when Mo Faal was brought down in the second half.

Instead, appeals were waved away and the unbeaten leaders grabbed the only goal in the 88th minute through striker Rakish Bingham.

It was the third time in four Westleigh Park fixtures that Hawks had lost through conceding in the last few minutes - previously they had been beaten by Weymouth in the FA Cup and by Oxford City in the NLS.

‘Big games are decided by big moments,’ said Doswell. ‘The penalty not being given was a massive moment.’

Skipper Joe Oastler had headed wide from six yards out prior to Hawks’ penalty shout, while Jason Prior also had a good chance.

‘After the first 15 we dominated against the wind, and we dominated second half.

‘Apart from when Dominic Poleon cut inside and shot wide, I don’t remember them having a chance.’

Doswell told the Hawks’ YouTube channel: ‘I was proud of the effort we put in, we just lacked that bit of quality up front.

‘We’ve been playing with our two strikers injured and with one of our best midfielders (Jake McCarthy) at centre half because we haven’t got any other centre halves.

‘We haven’t got 26 full-time professionals like Ebbsfleet, we’ve got 14 and four other young lads.’

Hawks are now fourth, six points adrift of table-topping Ebbsfleet, the only unbeaten side in the top six tiers of English football. But Doswell’s men have a nine-point lead over eighth-placed Oxford who are just outside the play-offs.

‘Nothing’s decided in November, we’ve only played a third of the season,’ he said.

‘Ebbsfleet have had an unbelievable run, but Wealdstone had a very good start in my first season here and but for Covid we’d have caught them.’

Striker Tommy Wright is available for Saturday’s home game with Hemel having served a two-match suspension.

Hemel became only the third team this season to take points off Ebbsfleet last weekend with a 1-1 draw.

They have also won three of their last four away league games - at Chippenham (1-0), Slough (2-0) and Dulwich Hamlet (3-1).