Hawks handed FA Cup home tie against minnows

Hawks have been handed a home tie against Essex Senior League minnows Hadley in the third qualifying round of the FA Cup
On-loan Pompey defender Matt Casey made his Hawks debut against Taunton on SaturdayOn-loan Pompey defender Matt Casey made his Hawks debut against Taunton on Saturday
On-loan Pompey defender Matt Casey made his Hawks debut against Taunton on Saturday

The tie is scheduled to be played on Saturday, October 5.

Hadley beat Isthmian League Ramsgate 1-0 at home in the previous round.

A notable feature of the 2-1 FA Cup win against Taunton was the debut of young Portsmouth loanee defender Matt Casey.

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The 19-year-old was thrust straight in and produced an assured performance.

Apart from being solid at the back, he also showed that he will cause problems at set-pieces.

Taunton defenders found they had their hands full dealing with the six foot eight defender at long throws and free-kicks.

Casey tired towards the end but that was understandable considering it was his first game in nearly eight weeks.

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He will only get stronger and stronger with increased experience of men's football.

The most disappointing aspect of Saturday's FA Cup tie was the attendance of under 500 - by far the lowest of the season at Westleigh Park.

The Hawks have been averaging over 1,300 for league games this season.

With over 800 season ticket holders, it is difficult to fathom why so many stayed away.

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One possible explanation is that their season tickets are not valid for FA Cup tie.

It still seems strange, though, that supporters are not willing to pay to watch their team in the early rounds of the FA Cup.

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