Hawks’ pre-season friendly programme includes games against Hordean, Gosport and Eastleigh

Roarie Deacon, right, in action against Eastleigh’s Cavaghn Miley during last year's pre-season friendly at Westleigh Park. The clubs will meet again in September at the Silverlake Stadium. Photo by Dave Haines/Portsmouth News

Paul Doswell's men had their play-off dreams ended by a 2-1 semi-final defeat to Dartford on July 25.

But the squad will not have long to dwell on that with a training return at their Front Lawn base on August 18.

Hawks have also been busy arranging a six-friendly pre-season programme.

Fixtures against AFC Totton (Aug 22), Horndean (Aug 29) and Gosport Borough (Sept 8) kick things off for the Hawks - with all matches away from home as work continues on the 3G pitch installation at Westleigh Park.

Doswell has then arranged to meet National League trio Dagenham & Redbridge (Sept 18), Eastleigh (Sept 22) and Boreham Wood (Sept 26) to ramp things up prior to the season start.

At present, it looks as though the Hawks could start the campaign with an FA Cup second round qualifying tie on Saturday, October 3.

And with that in mind, Doswell felt a need to get tough friendly opposition to make sure his squad are ready for 'one of their most important games of the season'.

‘We’ve got some good fixtures coming up,' he said.

‘We’re going with some more local friendlies to start off with, and we then go into the National League friendlies before we start.

‘I think, from the way it’s looking, we’re going to be playing one of our most important fixtures of the season first up which is the FA Cup game.

‘From our point of view, it’s important that we’re ready.'

The Hawks have also been boosted by the news they'll be able to use the Hampshire FA facility at Front Lawn when they resume training.

The site had been shut down following the coronavirus outbreak, but has now reopened.

The Hawks will train on their own 3G surface once it is installed - which should be by the beginning of October at the earliest.

‘The Hampshire FA have been brilliant and are going to open the facility for us in the mornings,' added Doswell.

‘We’ll be going back to Front Lawn on August 18 which means we haven’t got to train elsewhere.

'Of course when our pitch is ready, we’ll be able to train on it.

‘It’ll be fantastic for us to train and play on our own surface.’