Hawks welcome fellow National League South high-flyers Weymouth in attractive Boxing Day clash

Hawks manager Paul Doswell. Photo by Dave HainesHawks manager Paul Doswell. Photo by Dave Haines
Hawks manager Paul Doswell. Photo by Dave Haines | Freelance
Hawks entertain Weymouth in an attractive National League South Boxing Day derby at Westleigh Park (3pm).

A win for the home side would lift them into second place above Slough Town - providing the latter fail to beat table-topping Wealdstone.

Hawks boss Paul Doswell is keen to see his side get back to winning ways after their FA Trophy exit and dramatic 3-3 league draw at Braintree Town.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

He wants his men to pile more misery on the Terras who have lost their last three games.

After an 11-game unbeaten league run, the Dorset club have lost successive league matches at Dorking and at home to lowly St Albans and gone out of the FA Trophy at Barnet.

In their last two games, though, the Hawks have been guilty of conceding vital stoppage-time goals.

It cost them two vital points at Braintree and Doswell doesn't want to lose any more ground over the holiday period.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Hawks travel to Hungerford Town this Saturday followed by the return game against Weymouth on New Year’s Day.

Doswell is pleased that, apart from long term absentee Roarie Deacon, he has a full strength squad to choose from.

This gives him the option of freshening things up if he has to heading into a busy period.

The Hawks face a hectic new year playing twice a week throughout the whole of January.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Doswell is backing his team to bounce back from their 95th minute disappointment at Braintree.

'We have had a couple of days to feel sorry for ourselves,' said Doswell.

'Everyone was a bit low afterwards.

'We didn't lose the game but it felt like it.

'A lot of teams in our league would have been happy to come away with a draw.

'Now we need to lift ourselves up and come back bright and bubbly against Weymouth.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

'The biggest disappointment was that we didn't win after scoring three very good goals.

'Their final goal was a fantastic free-kick but the other two goals we conceded were poor.'

Hawks are currently two points ahead of sixth-placed Weymouth and have played two fewer games. They have an eight-point advantage in terms of the play-offs, but all sights are set on trying to catch Wealdstone rather than looking over their shoulders.

Doswell may consider going back to playing all three of his strikers against the Terras.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Jonah Ayunga and Danny Kedwell started at Braintree with Alfie Rutherford sent on as a late substitute.

Rutherford made an instant impact, putting the Hawks 3-2 ahead in the final minute.

His cameo performance may have done enough to earn him a place in the starting line-up.

Craig Robson was forced off with a knock in Essex, though, and could be a doubt.

News you can trust since 1877
Follow us
©National World Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.Cookie SettingsTerms and ConditionsPrivacy notice