Hawks players set for Tuesday action – even if National League South trip to St Albans is postponed

Benny Read, right, will be released from his Hawks contract after being offered a full-time job at an estate agency. Picture by Dave Haines

Hawks are due to visit St Albans, having seen their previous two away games - at Farnborough and Dover Athletic - called off due to bad weather.

Boss Paul Doswell fears the St Albans game will go the same way, with the Hertfordshire club’s home game last weekend frozen off and temperatures having not really improved since then.

As a result, and if the St Albans game is postponed, he will take his squad to play a hastily-arranged friendly against former club Sutton United at the League 2 club’s training ground.

Charlie Searle has been released from his Hawks contract, and played for AFC Totton last weekend. Picture by Dave Haines

‘Having not played since January 7, we need to get a game under our belts,’ Doswell told The News.

Centre half Joash Nembhard will get minutes tomorrow - whoever Hawks end up playing - for his first appearance since suffering a broken bone in his foot in mid-October.

New signings Teddy Sharman-Lowe and Tyrell Miller-Rodney are also set to make their debuts.

Sharman-Lowe has been signed on loan from Chelsea for the remainder of the season, following loan keeper Brad House’s recall by Sutton.

Midfielder Miller-Rodney, meanwhile, has been recruited from Hampton & Richmond, who visit Westleigh Park this coming weekend.

The player was not on a contract at Hampton, so Hawks put in seven days notice of approach following former manager Gary McCann’s departure.

‘He will add legs and aggression,’ said Doswell. ‘I knew there was no chance of getting him when Gary was there, but he was keen to come for this season and the next one.’

Doswell has freshened his squad up in mid-season, with the two recent arrivals following on from the signing of Chelmsford’s Charlie Ruff in December.

He is also confident another signing could be announced prior to Hampton’s visit.

‘We’ve strengthened where we needed strengthening,’ he remarked. ‘Tyrell will add energy to the midfield, along with Paul Rooney and Jake McCarthy.’

Winger Gianni Crichlow has been allowed to join Gosport Borough on a month’s loan, while full-back Benny Read and goalkeeper Charlie Searle are being released from their contracts.

Read now has a full-time role with an estate agency, which will allow him to carry on playing for AFC Totton, where he has been on loan for several weeks.

Searle has also obtained a full-time role, which will allow Hawks to bring John Keeley back to the club as a goalkeeping coach.

Keeley, who first joined Hawks last February, left League 2 club Crawley last week - just a month after being appointed to the Sussex club’s coaching staff.

Searle played for Totton in last weekend’s 1-1 Southern League Division 1 South draw against Bideford.

That game also marked a first Stags appearance for Hawks striker Tommy Wright, who has dual signed in order to build up his match sharpness.

Hawks defender Sam Magri could well be joining Bognor Regis Town on a similar dual registration, following his ankle injury against Slough last month.