‘Fox in the box’ Iaciofano nets twice as Hawks avoid FA Cup banana skin against Chatham Town

The Kent side had visions of causing a huge upset after beating Isthmian League Premier side Folkestone 3-0 away in the second qualifying round.

They are flying high in the Southern Counties East League, having belted 33 goals in only seven games.

But Hawks survived an uncomfortable spell in the first half to record a 4-1 win that leaves them just 90 minutes away from the first round proper for the eighth time in the club’s history.

Iaciofano was gifted the opening goal on 16 minutes.

Goalkeeper Jordan Carey came to collect a bouncing ball just inside his own penalty area, but could not hold onto it under pressure and Iaciofano was able to fire the ball into an empty net.

That goal was reward for a positive Hawks start that had seen Iaciofano shoot straight at Carey and Roarie Deacon fire wastefully wide from a good position.

Chatham, though, responded well to going behind and dominated the next 15 minutes.

Home keeper Ross Worner saved a Mikey Dalton effort from close range - after skipper Jack Evans had lifted a free-kick into his path - before turning away an Evans shot at the expense of a corner.

Luke Rooney fired in a 20-yard effort that Worner tipped over for another corner, before diving to beat out an Evans free-kick from 25 yards.

Deacon curled a shot just wide before he doubled Hawks’ lead on 37 minutes.

He was left unmarked just inside the area to rifle home a low drive, which in truth was harsh on the visitors.

Chatham needed to score the first goal of the second half to keep the tie alive, but though they had good possession they weren’t as much of a threat as they had been in the first period.

Hawks killed the tie off on 55 minutes.

Midfielder Bedsente Gomis did all the hard work, a surging run taking him past several tackles into the penalty area where his fierce shot hit the underside of the bar.

Iaciofano - a ‘fox in the box’ according to his boss Paul Doswell - was quickest to react, diving to head in the loose ball from close range.

Following his two goals against Maidstone at the weekend, Iaciofano now has four goals in his first three Hawks appearances.

After Worner had parried another Evans free-kick, Hawks increased their lead in the 63rd minute.

A quick counter attack ended with Tommy Wright sprinting clear on the left hand side of the penalty area. With Carey expecting a shot across him, Wright fired his effort just inside the keeper’s near post.

With an empty terrace behind, it took a few seconds to register that Wright had scored instead of hitting the side netting.

With a four-goal cushion that was unfair on Chatham, Doswell took the chance to make changes.

On came midfielders Godfrey Poku and Christian Rowe for their first competitive appearances in a Hawks shirt. For Rowe, once of Swindon Town’s academy, it was his first game at all for the club having not played a part in pre-season.

Pacy striker Lucas Sinclair was also given minutes as Doswell was able to give Gomis, Billy Clifford and Wright a rest ahead of Saturday’s league trip to Billericay.

Deacon saw a shot saved by Carey, and Sam Magri headed a corner wide at the far post, before Chatham bagged a deserved consolation two minutes from time.

Andy Pugh, who had only come off the bench, fired low past Worner to give the club’s vocal band of officials something to cheer.

In the end, a comfortable win - though not as comfortable as the scoreline might suggest.

Hawks: Worner, Read, Straker, Robson, Magri, Clifford (Poku, 68), Widdrington, Gomis (Rowe, 65), Wright (Sinclair, 68), Iaciofano, Deacon.

Chatham: Carey, Pilbeam (Orji, 68), Sheminant, Robins, Butler, Lawal, Hayes, Evans, Bradshaw (Pugh, 86), Rooney (Brown, 68), Dalton.

Attendance: 0

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