New boss Jamie Collins aims to inspire Hawks to first away National League South points since New Year’s Day in midweek Hampshire derby

Jamie Collins on the touchline at Dulwich in his first game as Hawks boss. Picture by Dave Haines

Hawks conceded two goals in the last six minutes to crash 2-1 at Dulwich Hamlet at the weekend.

That meant a painful ending to Collins’ first game in charge, after taking over from Paul Doswell - now director of football at Westleigh Park - only the previous day.

It was also Hawks’ sixth successive away loss, a remarkable run considering they had won eight and drawn three of their first 11 away NLS fixtures!

At least Mo Faal scored Hawks’ first away goal at Dulwich since Charlie Ruff netted the third in a 3-1 New Year’s Day win at Eastbourne Borough.

Now it’s another away trip in midweek, albeit Hawks’ shortest of the league campaign – the 90-mile round-trip to the north of the county to face Farnborough.

Collins, who had been a player coach under Doswell, said it was ‘a big surprise’ to receive a phone call last Thursday morning - just hours after Hawks had been beaten at home by St Albans.

‘I got a call saying Paul was going upstairs and would I be interested,’ recalled Collins, 38. ‘Things went from there very quickly.

‘I’ve wanted to be a manager, I’ve been doing my coaching badges for a while now, and I think I’m ready for it now.

‘I’ve been back here a year and a half, I know the players.’

With Hawks now only two points ahead of eighth-placed Tonbridge in the NLS table, Collins knows there is no honeymoon period in his first managerial role.

With the team having picked up just a point from their last six matches, the new boss needs a victory - and quickly.

Easier said than done at Farnborough, though, who after a tough start following last season’s promotion via the Southern League Premier South play-offs are targeting a top six finish themselves.

Boro, after a run of just four losses in their last 24 league games, are six points off the play-off zone with up to four games in hand on the clubs above them.

One of their four losses was 3-1 at second-placed Dartford last weekend, when the hosts’ final goal was scored by Harvey Bradbury.

Having started the season at Gosport Borough, Bradbury last week joined the Darts on loan from Gosport’s Southern League rivals Dorchester Town.

With Joe Oastler still sidelined with an ankle injury, Collins will pick from the same squad on duty at Dulwich.

Full-back Joe Newton - who became the sixth Hawks player sent off in 40 days at Dulwich - serves his suspension at home to Tonbridge this weekend.

Collins told The News: ‘Sometimes in football you can’t put finger on why you’ve had bad results, but the sendings off haven’t helped.

‘No manager wants to keep picking a new back four every game, but that’s what we’ve had to do the last few weeks.

‘Farnborough will be a tough place to go on a Tuesday, but we’ll go there full of confidence.

‘We need to start winning games. Four wins from our last 10 games should cement our place in the play-offs.’