Lee Bradbury: Hawks dealt with FC Halifax and have momentum to escape trouble

Manager Lee Bradbury has seen his side get a very welcome boost with two key wins in a row.

They beat Halifax thanks to second-half goals from Tyler Cordner and Alfie Rutherford.

That was after the big win against Maidenhead.

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It is the first time in the Vanarama National League the Hawks have managed successive wins. Bradbury believes it gives his side a great feeling going into a run of more crucial games ahead.

He said: '˜It was another hard-working performance and I thought we showed good physicality.

'˜Halifax were a big strong side and posed a threat at set-pieces.

'˜We dealt with that well and were worth the win.

'˜There was a strong wind blowing up the pitch and the first half was all about keeping a clean sheet.

'˜We did that and in the second period I knew we would create opportunities by pinning them them back.

'˜It was a determined dogged performance and we played some good football as well.

'˜We looked very strong at the back.

'˜Climbing out of the bottom four gives us some added confidence going into the next three games.

'˜We are playing three teams who are directly above and below us.

'˜It is important we continue to grind out performances like we have in our past two games.'

Both teams largely cancelled each other out in the opening half.

The home side had one narrow escape on the stroke of half-time when a point-blank header from a corner was cleared off the goal line.

After the break the Hawks came out in determined fashion and soon took the lead.

Bradbury's side have been bemoaning their poor luck all season but on this occasion good fortune smiled on them.

From a 48th minute corner Cordner sent a looping header high into the air and it dropped underneath the angle of bar and post.

Visiting goalkeeper Sam Johnson got himself into a mess and could only push the ball into the net.

A second goal arrived on 64 minutes after some sparkling play from Bradley Tarbuck.

He cleverly outwitted his defenders on the right and his low cross was tapped in from close-range by Rutherford.

A rare blunder from goalkeeper Ben Dudzinski, letting a 25-yard shot through his hands, meant the Hawks had to endure a nervy finale.

Though the visitors pushed hard the Hawks remained organised and strong at the back to keep them out.

Boss Bradbury added: '˜The next three games will have a big bearing on what might happens at the end of the season.

'˜We have to make sure we keep performing the way we have.'

The success against FC Halifax was marred a little in stoppage-time when the home side had Will Wood sent off for violent conduct.

The defender is now expected to miss the next three games.

Hawks: Dudzinski, Strugnell, Williams (Bradley 60mins), Wood, Robinson P, Stock, Tarbuck, Robinson A, Cordner, Pavey (Kabamba 73mins), Rutherford ( Cosgrave 77mins).

Attendance: 1,258.