Hawks boss confident despite enforced reshuffle

Central defender Ryan Woodford and midfielder Mike Carter look certain to be ruled out by injury.

Both players limped out of the 2-0 victory against Weston-super-Mare at Westleigh Park on Friday.

Carter slipped on the rain-soaked surface and was carried off with a hamstring injury.

Bradbury, however, is pleased he can bring in good quality replacements in Dan Strugnell and Andreas Robinson.

The latter, in particular, produced a powerful performance after going on as a first-half substitute on Friday.

‘We are gutted for Carts because he has waited for an opportunity to get into the side,’ said the boss.

‘He has fitted in nicely and done well in the absence of Brian Stock. It looks like a bad hamstring and he certainly won’t be available for Whitehawk.

‘Andreas came on and showed what a strong player he is, though.

‘Robbo travels with the ball well and has got everything. He just needs a run in the team and he might get that.

‘Having Robbo in will give us a bit more size. Whitehawk are a big strong team that we will need to match physically.

‘We will have to stand-up to them at set-pieces because they have five or six players all over six foot one. How we deal with that could be a key factor.

‘We need to make sure we are big, strong and organised – as we have been all season.’

The Hawks produced a dominant second half display to see off Weston-super-Mare.

It was a credit to the hard work of the groundstaff the game even went ahead.

But while the pitch was just about playable at the start, the continuous rain meant it got worse and worse.

Both teams tried to play football but it became increasingly difficult as the game went on.

Wes Fogden’s goal two minutes into the second half swung the game into the Hawks’ favour.

Jason Prior then killed off the challenge of the visitors with a second goal – again from a header.

It was an important victory for the Hawks, who maintained their two-point lead over Dartford at the top of the table.

Bradbury recognises the importance of momentum at this stage in the title race.

A win at Whitehawk will give his side a maximum six points from the Easter programme and keep them in the driving seat.

He does not expect it to be easy against their Sussex hosts, though.

The boss said: ‘Whitehawk may be bottom but since the start of the year they have been one of the in-form teams. It is never an easy place to go.’

Hawks: Young, Strugnell, Rose, Harris, Williams, Robinson, Lewis, Fogden, Tarbuck, Prior, Tubbs, Rutherford, Hayter, Molyneaux, Huggins