Hawks bidding to ensure Hungerford are kept waiting for first away National League South goal of the season

Paul Doswell’s National League South high-fliers welcome the Berkshire club to Westleigh Park tonight (7.45pm).

Hungerford last night dipped into the four-team relegation zone due to the fact Hemel won 3-1 at Dulwich.

Hungerford- who have only won one of their last 14 league games - are also one of just three clubs in the top six tiers of English football still awaiting their first away goal of the league campaign.

They have so far conceded second-half winners to lose 1-0 at Dover and Chippenham and drawn 0-0 at St Albans.

Derby and Maidenhead – who both failed to score for the fourth time on the travels last night - are the other three clubs who have only fired blanks on their league travels in 2022/23.

Indeed, Hungerford are the NLS’ lowest scorers at present with just three goals in seven games - two of which arrived in their only win, 2-0 at home to Eastbourne.

But, going into tonight’s fixtures, only Taunton Town (4) have conceded fewer than their five goals.

In contrast, Hawks have netted 18 times in winning six and drawing one of their opening seven NLS fixtures - while also conceding 10. Hawks have kept just one clean sheet so far, against Farnborough at home on Bank Holiday Monday.

‘They haven’t started badly,’ said Doswell. ‘They had a good win against Eastbourne. They haven’t scored many but they haven’t conceded many either.

‘We know we’re going to have to match their workrate and intensity.’

In goal for Hungerford will be 19-year-old Jed Ward, who is on a season-long loan from Bristol Rovers.

At the other end of the pitch, Ryan Seager is proving to be a big loss so far. The former Hawks loanee netted 27 times for Hungerford last season, including braces in wins against Chelmsford in March and at Ebbsfleet in April.

Seager was signed in the summer by Dorking Wanderers ahead of their debut campaign at in the top flight of non-league football.

Those wins against Chelmsford and Ebbsfleet were the only victories recorded in a poor run-in which saw Hungerford bank just seven points from their last 13 games.

Included in that run was a 4-0 pasting at Westleigh Park in March which featured a second-half double from skipper Joe Oastler.

They were just four of the 30 goals Hawks have banked in their last 11 home league games, a run stretching back to mid-February and including nine wins.

Doswell will name the same squad that was due to host leaders Ebbsfleet in a mouthwatering summit showdown last weekend.

Centre half Jamie Collins is back in training and is pencilled in for his first competitive appearance of the season in a Hampshire Senior Cup tie against Fleet Town next Tuesday.

Once he returns, that will leave just Paul Rooney, Sam Magri and Tommy Wright on the sidelines.

New loanee Tomas Kalinauskas is included in the Hawks squad, having joined from Barnsley last week.