Hawks skipper Wes Fogden: We’ve got to turn Westleigh Park into a fortress

Going into the season with a small squad was always going to be a gamble for Hawks manager Paul Doswell.
By Kevin Ricketts
Published 25th Oct 2019, 11:49 BST
Wes Fogden has a word with referee Daniel Lamport during Hawks' FA Cup exit to Dulwich last weekendWes Fogden has a word with referee Daniel Lamport during Hawks' FA Cup exit to Dulwich last weekend
Wes Fogden has a word with referee Daniel Lamport during Hawks' FA Cup exit to Dulwich last weekend

And the loss of key players to injury in recent weeks is starting to stretch resources at Westleigh Park.

Rory Deacon and Benny Read are likely to be missing for at least a couple of months.

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Deacon has had surgery and Read badly dislocated his shoulder against Dulwich in the FA Cup loss last weekend.

Another big worry is captain Wes Fogden, who broke down again at the end of his first game back for a month.

Fogden understandably was gutted, saying: ‘It was unfortunate that my hamstring injury flared up again in the 93rd minute.

'Up until then I was enjoying being back after missing four or five weeks.

'Maybe I stayed out there a bit too long.

'It was also disappointing to go out of the cup.

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'We didn't start well and credit to Dulwich, they were lively. They could easily have been more than two goals up.

'That left us with a mountain to climb but we got ourselves back into the game.

'In the second half we just couldn't push on and find an equaliser.'

Despite the cup exit, Fogden believes Hawks - fifth going into this weekend’s home game with Concord - are nicely placed in the league.

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'Our away form is superb but it is at home that we have struggled,' said Fogden.

'That needs to change and we must look to turn Westleigh Park into a bit of a fortress.

'Teams come to us, sit in and try to play for a point.

'We have to do better and come up with a way to play and break down their defence.

'Also we haven't taken enough of the chances we have created.

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'Maybe pushing for goals we have left ourselves a bit open at the back and conceded goals at bad times.

'We have not won enough of our home games.'

Fogden is confident the Hawks can improve in this area.

'We have shown what we can do at times,' he stated. 'I don't see any reason why we can't be up there challenging.'

Doswell has added central defender Craig Robson to his squad but may need to bolster in other areas.

The Hawks defend their unbeaten away record next Saturday at St Albans City.

Related topics:Paul Doswell