Hawks shocked at home by a Hemel Hempstead side who played 77 minutes with only 10 men
Paul Doswell’s much-changed side were beaten 3-2 at home by a Hemel Hempstead side who played with only 10 men for most of the evening.
The Tudors had centre half Nathan Cooper sent off after just 13 minutes for handling a Billy Clifford header on the line.
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Hide AdThe visitors were already leading 2-0 at the time, with Danny Kedwell bringing Hawks back into contention by converting the resultant penalty.
But Hemel remained lively on the break throughout the first half and deservedly extended their lead before Moussa Diarra replied for Hawks just before the interval.
The hosts laid siege to the visiting goal for most of the second half but could not find an equaliser, leaving them still 15 points adrift of leaders Dartford - albeit with a stack of matches in hand.
Hawks boss Paul Doswell made five changes to the starting XI beaten at two divisions lower Marine in the FA Cup on Sunday.
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Hide AdCraig Robson and Bedsente Gomis dropped out through injury, with Benny Read, Anthony Straker and Roarie Deacon on the bench.
In came coach Simon Walton - the 33-year-old’s first appearance of the season - George Mclennan, Godfrey Poku, Danny Kedwell and Joe Iaciofano.
Walton took his place as the central centre half in a 5-3-2 formation with Mclennan the left wing-back and Josh Taylor, normally a midfielder, at right wing-back.
Kedwell and Iacifano were up front with Tommy Wright - normally a central striker - playing behind them.
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Hide AdHaving conceded in the last minute at Marine, Hawks were behind after only two minutes against a Hemel side who went on to record their fifth successive away league win.
Jake Howells sent over a corner which defender Kyle Ajayi bundled in.
Things got worse for the hosts when they slipped further behind on 11 minutes.
A long ball out of the Hemel defence ran virtually down the touchline with Hawks no doubt thinking it would go out of play. It didn’t, and Bernard Christie collected it in acres of space and crossed for Omar Rowe to confidently finish first time.
It was a very poor goal to concede/
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Hide AdA frantic start continued two minutes later when Hemel were reduced to 10 men and Kedwell struck his first goal since rejoining Hawks last month.
Despite the dismissal, the visitors remained the side who looked more likely to score again and so it proved just after the half-hour mark.
Ex-Hawks midfielder Chris Paul was instrumental in a move which ended with winger JJ Lacey curling a lovely 20-yard effort past Ross Worner and in off the far post.
It was only the fourth time in 41 NL South matches under Doswell that Hawks had conceded more than twice.
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Hide AdQuick on the counter, Christie broke through but, with a man either side of him, decided to take the wrong option and shoot straight at Worner.
Hawks brought themselves back into contention on 44 minutes when Taylor’s corner was headed in by the giant figure of Diarra.
Doswell made a double change at the interval, taking off Clifford and Iaciofano and putting on Reed and Deacon.
Hawks were instantly on the attack, creating a host of openings.
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Hide AdWright, pushed up front alongside Kedwell, shot over within a minute of the restart before Sam Magri’s header was parried by Dean Snedker - the first save either keeper had had to make!
Deacon sent over an inviting cross which Kedwell got on the end of, but Snedker clawed the shot off his line before Wright’s follow-up was deflected for a corner.
Magri shot straight at Snedker after Hemel couldn’t clear the flag kick, with Diarra and Walton both failing to guide headers on target from other corners.
With Reed playing virtually as a right winger, and with Diarra thrown up front to add extra height, Hemel could hardly get out of their half.
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Hide AdTheir first real attack of the second period was a 73rd minute shot from Sam Mansom that hit the side netting.
Snedker twice raced off his line to deny Wright and when the keeper was eventually beaten - by a Diarra header from another Deacon cross - Howells was there to head off the line.
Hawks: Worner, Taylor, Mclennan, Magri, Diarra, Walton, Clifford (Reed, 46), Poku, Wright (Sinclair, 82), Kedwell, Iaciofano (Deacon, 46).
Hemel: Snedker, Scott-Morris, Ajayi, Howells, McDevitt, Cooper, Paul, Manson, Christie (Webb, 72), Lacey (Kinnane, 64), Rowe (Young, 52).