Hawks slump to National League South loss to Eastbourne Borough
Hawks can have few complaints about the result as only keeper Ross Worner saved them from a much bigger defeat.
Hawks looked very uncomfortable at the back early on and could have been behind long before Whelpdale slid in to convert a low Charlie Kendall cross on 35 minutes.
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Hide AdSub Charlie Lambert - on for the injured Charlie Walker - should have doubled the advantage 60 seconds later. After Worner had dived to beat out a Kendall shot, Lambert had the goal at his mercy but his shot clipped the top of the crossbar.
Hawks boss Paul Doswell was forced into a tactical change shortly after, withdrawing right back Christian Rowe and putting on striker Danny Kedwell.
Rowe had been given a torrid time by the pacy Greg Luer, and it was no real surprise to see him taken off with Roarie Deacon moved to right back.
Doswell made another change at the interval, taking off midfielder Leon Chambers-Parillon and putting on winger Daniel Ajakaiye.
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Hide AdHawks levelled on 57 minutes with their first on-target effort of the game.
Tommy Wright fired in a low cross from the left and Bedsente Gomis, timing his run to perfection, sidefooted in from 12 yards.
Hawks instantly started playing with more confidence, knocking the ball around for the first time in the match.
But it was Eastbourne who restored their lead on 66 minutes when Lambert dinked a teasing cross to the edge of the six-yard box which Whelpdale headed back across Worner and into the bottom of the net.
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Hide AdWhelpdale was twice denied a hat-trick by Worner, the keeper first diving to his left to push a low shot aside for a corner and then producing an even better stop when the midfielder had a clear sight of goal 10 minutes from time.
Hawks ended with four attackers on the pitch - Joe Iaciofano their third sub to go alongside Wright, Kedwell and Ajakaiye.
Moussa Diarra was also thrown up front late on, but the nearest Hawks came to an equaliser they didn’t really deserve was when Kedwell headed a corner over.
With four minutes of time added on, Hawks won a free-kick 25 yards out - but Kedwell fired his effort wastefully high and wide.
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Hide AdIt summed up Hawks’ afternoon, and they have now dropped out of the NL South play-off zone, though still with numerous games in hand on the teams above them.
Hawks: Worner, Straker, Rowe (Kedwell, 38), Diarra, Robson, Poku, Gomis, Taylor (Iaciofano, 72), Chambers-Parillon (Ajakaiye, 46), Deacon, Wright.
Eastbourne: Ravizzoli, Rollinson, Innocent, Ferry, Dickenson, James, Kendall, Hammond, Luer, Walker (Lambert, 23), Whelpdale.