Skipper Joe Oastler becomes latest Hawks player to be sent off as miserable National League South away run continues

Hawks captain Joe Oastler sees red for this tackle on George Williams. Picture by Dave Haines

Skipper Joe Oastler became the latest Hawks player to be shown a red card in another National League South away defeat.

The centre half was dismissed for bringing down Hemel Hempstead’s George Williams when he was the last man just after the hour mark.

Oastler was the fifth Hawk to receive his marching orders in the space of four away games, all of which have been lost.

First, Joash Nembhard and Danny Wright were sent off for violent conduct at Taunton at the end of January.

Joe Oastler is shown a red card. Picture by Dave Haines

Then, last Tuesday, Mo Faal was dismissed for two bookable offences in the first half at Bath City. Charlie Ruff also saw red very late on for a late tackle.

Hawks were still very much in the games at Taunton and Bath, with the score 0-0 in both when they went down to 10 men.

In their latest awayday loss, though, the damage had already been done by the time Oastler was sent off.

Hemel were leading at half-time through Luke Holness, and added another shortly into the second half from Josh Hill.

Callum Kealy fires in a shot. Picture by Dave Haines

Hawks player-coach Jamie Collins called the Hemel loss ‘very disappointing’ as the club slipped to fourth in the NLS table.

They now trail Oxford City by a point, albeit with three games in hand, but are now seven points adrift of second-placed Dartford with two matches in hand.

‘We always say you have to be the best in both boxes, and they (Hemel) were,’ Collins told the club’s YouTube channel.

‘We didn’t deserve anything today. We played some good football but we didn’t have any real end product.

Paul Rooney in action during Hawks' 2-0 loss at Hemel. Picture by Dave Haines

‘We weren’t good enough in their box and we weren’t good enough in ours.

‘It was just a very, very disappointing day. We were confident going into the game and we had a gameplan, but the lads didn’t do what we asked them to do. At times, they have to take the blame.’

Hawks will reclaim third spot on Tuesday if they can end their run of away losses at Dover.

Faal serves his one-game ban for the visit to Kent, while Ruff starts a three-game suspension.

Oastler will serve his ban at home to Cheshunt next weekend.