Down memory lane – recalling Hawks’ seven previous FA Cup first round ties

Hawks are through to the first round proper of the FA Cup for the eighth time in their 22-year history.
By Simon Carter
Published 6th Nov 2020, 13:58 BST
Ian Simpemba (second left) scores for Hawks in their 3-1 FA Cup loss to Brentford in 2008/09. Picture by Dave Haines.Ian Simpemba (second left) scores for Hawks in their 3-1 FA Cup loss to Brentford in 2008/09. Picture by Dave Haines.
Ian Simpemba (second left) scores for Hawks in their 3-1 FA Cup loss to Brentford in 2008/09. Picture by Dave Haines.

They host two divisions lower Cray Valley Paper Mills at Westleigh Park on Sunday (12.45pm) in a tie which is being streamed live by the BBC across its digital platforms.Victory will take the Hawks into the second round for only the second time. It would also be the club’s maiden first round home success.Here, The News looks back at the club’s seven previous FA Cup first round ties ...

2000/01Hawks 1 Southport 2 Midfielder Tim Hambley was sent off as Hawks - then in the Southern League - were knocked out by Conference outfit Southport.Hambley was shown the red card in the 72nd minute, and from the resulting free-kick striker Ian Arnold slammed the ball past keeper Paul Nicholls.Hawks had got off to a flying start with the opening goal after six minutes from midfielder Paul Wood.Both sides had several opportunities to score before Southport levelled just 50 seconds before the interval.Simon Parke set up Mark Stuart and he jinked past one man and into the area before burying a 15-yard shot past Nicholls.Hawks: Nicholls, Connolly, Cook, MacDonald, Gale, Daish, Wood, Hambley, J. O’Rourke, Taylor, Anstey.2002/03Dagenham 3 Hawks 2In a storming start, all five goals came inside the opening 25 minutes.Junior McDougald put the Daggers ahead after 13 minutes and three minutes later Danny Shipp chipped in a second.But within four minutes, Warren Haughton back-heeled Hawks back into the tie.Shipp added his second after 23 minutes before Haughton scored again two minutes later.Hawks: Kerr, Masson, Ferrett, Hale, Hall, Hanson, Paul Wood, Hambley, Howe, Taylor, Haughton.2006/07Hawks 1 Millwall 2Alan Dunne’s superb late goal gave three divisions higher Millwall victory in a tie moved to Fratton Park on police advice.The 2004 FA Cup finalists took the lead in the opening five minutes when Ben May slotted home from close range.After hitting the bar, Mo Harkin provided the cross for Rocky Baptiste to equalise just before the hour.But Havant had no answer to Dunne’s stunning 25-yard shot on 71 minutes.Hawks made an estimated £10,000 loss on the game after being handed a £35,000 bill for policing, with total costs running to more than £60,000. The club needed to sell a minimum of 7,800 tickets to break even and fell 2,000 short. Hawks: Gore, Warner, Jordan, Byles, Gregory (Holdsworth 74), Harkin (Watkins 82), Collins (Simpson 82), Taggart, Poate, Pacquette, Baptiste.

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2007/08York City 0 Hawks 1Mo Harkin’s first-half goal sent Hawks into the second round for the first time in their history.He netted on 24 minutes, racing on to Jamie Slabber’s pass to score.York, from the Conference National, dominated throughout, but could not find a way through and missed a succession of chances.Hawks went on to beat Notts County and Swansea City before bowing out in a memorable fourth round tie at Anfield.Hawks: Scriven, Smith, Jordan, Sharp, Poate, Harkin, Collins, Oatway (Wilkinson 75), Taggart (Gregory 59), Baptiste, Slabber (Pacquette 37).2008/09Hawks 1 Brentford 3Marvin Williams put Brentford ahead after Kevin Scriven could only parry Nathan Elder’s shot.Charlie MacDonald hooked in the second from a corner before Ian Simpemba headed Hawks back into it from Brett Poate’s free-kick.Ben Hamer made two brilliant saves to keep out the hosts before Elder converted MacDonald’s cross.Brentford went on to win the EFL League 2 title that season, while Hawks were a disappointing 15th out of 22 in their league.Hawks: Scriven, Conroy, Elphick, Simpemba, Gasson, Gray (Henry 56), Collins, Holloway, Wilkinson (Poate 69), Nightingale (Booth 81), Watkins.2010/11Hawks 0 Droylsden 2Goals from John Hardiker and Ciaran Kilheeney put Conference North club Droylsden into the second round.The visitors took the lead when defender Hardiker met a Liam Brownhill corner to powerfully head home.Kilheeney slotted in a David McNiven pass from six yards late on to secure the Bloods’ victory.Hawks: Howe, Hinchelwood (Sewell 84), McDonald, Pearce (Woodford 84), Simpemba, Selley, Fogden, Hopkinson, Igoe (Sole 76), Williams, Tyriaki.

Brian Stock is sent off as Hawks crash 3-0 at home to Preston North End in 2014/15. Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images.Brian Stock is sent off as Hawks crash 3-0 at home to Preston North End in 2014/15. Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images.
Brian Stock is sent off as Hawks crash 3-0 at home to Preston North End in 2014/15. Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images.

2014/15Hawks 0 Preston 3Callum Robinson, on loan from Aston Villa, fired an FA Cup hat-trick at Westleigh Park for three divisions higher Preston.Robinson, currently at West Bromwich Albion, finished with a low right-foot shot inside the near post and doubled his tally with a neat right-foot volley from 10 yards out.In a tie screened live on BT Sport, Hawks were reduced to 10 men just before the hour mark when Brian Stock was sent off for a second bookable offence.And they were down to nine when Warren Cummins handled a shot on the line with 10 minutes to go and was also dismissed.Robinson, having seen his shot handled, converted the resultant penalty for his treble.Hawks: Young, Strugnell, Dutton, Harris, Cummings, Swallow (Ryan 63), Stock, Donnelly, Huggins, Hooper (Connell, 73), Bubb (Mullings, 63).