Doswell salutes ‘proper performance’ as Havant & Waterlooville beat Bath City to reach FA Cup first round proper

The forward opened the scoring in a superb 3-0 fourth qualifying round win at Bath City with a 20-yard piledriver that flew past keeper Ryan Clarke and into the top corner.

The tie was just 22 minutes old but from that point on Hawks looked comfortable in progressing against a side who, like themselves, had lost in the National League South play-offs in July.

Roarie Deacon and sub Theo Widdrington struck in the second half - again, both clinical finishes - at a near deserted Twerton Park.

At the other end, Hawks - playing a 5-3-2 formation for the second week running - kept their first clean sheet of the delayed 2020/21 campaign.

Make no mistake, this was a seriously impressive display and one that left boss Paul Doswell thrilled.

‘This was a proper performance,’ he declared.

‘There were three fantastic goals and it was great to keep our first clean sheet.

‘If we win to win titles, we need to keep clean sheets.

‘We were very professional in the way we saw the game out in the second half.

‘We killed them off with two more great goals.’

In pouring rain, Joe Iaciofano could have had two early goals - just failing to get on the end of a cross from ex-Bath left-back Anthony Straker before seeing a close range shot blocked for a corner.

Hawks keeper Ross Worner dived to push away a shot from Tom Smith, last season’s NL South player of the season, before rushing out to gather at the feet of striker Tommy Conway.

Conway, 18, was one of four EFL loanees in the Romans’ starting XI - joined by Bristol City colleague Freddie Hinds, Bristol Rovers’ right midfielder Lucas Tomlinson and Walsall centre half Tom Leak.

From virtually out of nothing, Wright fired Hawks into the lead - netting for the third FA Cup tie running after previous left-footed goals against Horsham and Chatham.

Deacon shot wide a minute later before Worner was called on to save one-handed from Harley.

That was virtually the last save Worner had to make as a three-man central defensive unit stood firm in front of him.

The giant Moussa Diarra, playing on the left of the three, looks a fine signing with Sam Magri on the right and Craig Robson in the centre. On the flanks, Straker and Benny Read gave Hawks attacking options.

‘I ended last season playing five at the back,’ said Doswell. ‘It’s not a defensive system, it’s a very attacking one.’

If Bath boss Jerry Gill had expected his side to come out in the second period all guns blazing, he was to be proved very wrong.

He made a double substitution just seven minutes after the restart, bringing on defender Dan Ball and striker Donovan Wilson.

But it was Hawks who got the all-important second goal just before the hour mark.

Like Wright, Deacon scored for the third FA Cup round running with a fine low shot from the edge of the penalty area.

Wilson found himself in space at the other end 60 seconds later, but blazed his shot into the empty terracing behind Worner’s goal.

Armed with a two-goal lead, and looking well in control, Doswell made changes - bringing on midfielders Widdrington and Bedsente Gomis.

With no home crowd to urge Bath on, Hawks were virtually untroubled until the final whistle.

The only real danger came when Diarra produced a superb goal-line clearance to deny Conway in time added on.

By that time Hawks could have been 3-0 ahead, Lucas Sinclair - the third sub - sprinting past two defenders into the box and crossing with the outside of his right foot where a lunging Wright was inches away from connecting at the far post.

With virtually the last kick of the game, Hawks completed a very impressive afternoon’s work.

Left unmarked just inside the right-hand side of the penalty area, Widdrington composed himself before rifling a shot past Clarke.

It was the final act of a performance which was, in many ways, a template for a classic away victory.

Hawks have made a habit of producing fine displays on their travels since Doswell took over, but few could match this one.

It was the new-look side’s fourth success in five competitive games in 2020/21, and had they not conceded twice in injury time against Maidstone it would be five out of five.

‘We are still not there yet,’ said Doswell. ‘We will need seven or eight games to get us up to speed.’

New defensive recruit George McLennan was on the bench, and he will provide options as a left wing-back or a left-sided central defender.

Asked if he was happy with his squad, Doswell replied: ‘I’ve still got a centre forward in mind, but from what I’ve seen Lucas could play as a central striker.

‘We’ve got good depth - there’s a few youngsters there who I wouldn’t be worried about giving a chance to.’

Bath: Clarke, Grant (Wilson, 53), Batten, Leak, Richards, Evans, Harley (James, 62), Smith, Conway, Hinds, Tomlinson (Ball, 52).

Hawks: Worner, Read, Straker, Magri, Robson, Diarra, Taylor, Clifford (Gomis, 73), Wright, Iaciofano (Sinclair, 82), Deacon (Widdrington, 67).