Walton and Worner the heroes as Hawks maintain remarkable unbeaten National League South away record at Weymouth

Maintaining their unbeaten away record in the league was the perfect way to start the new year.

Simon Walton headed in the only goal a minute before the interval - his first goal for the Hawks.

Goalkeeper Ross Worner then preserved the visitors’ seventh away win in 10 league matches with a superb penalty save in the dying minutes.

Paul Doswell's side move up two places into third spot, a point behind Bath City but with four games in hand.

They remain eight points adrift of leaders Wealdstone but retain two games in hand and welcome the Stones to Hampshire on January 18 - three days after another promotion hopeful, Slough Town, visit Westleigh Park.

The visitors made two changes to the side that won 3-1 at Hungerford Town in their last game.

Sam Magri replaced Benny Read at the back and fit-again striker Jonah Ayunga also returned, with Read and Nicky Bailey dropping to the substitutes bench.

After a cagey opening, the game became increasingly competitive with a few heavy challenges flying in.

Neither goalkeeper was tested until the 35th minute when home 'keeper Mark Childs pulled off a point-blank save to keep out a Magri header.

From the counter-attack, Walton had to head off the goal-line with Worner beaten.

Alfie Rutherford should have put the visitors ahead when Danny Kedwell's flick put him through - but he shot straight at Childs.

Just when it looked like the teams would go in level, the Hawks took the lead from a corner in the 44th minute.

Andy Drury delivered the flag-kick and Walton rose at the near post to guide his header into the far corner of the net.

Though the Hawks had the better of the game in the opening stages of the second half, Weymouth remained dangerous on the counter-attack.

Six minutes from time Jake McCarthy went close for the hosts with a curling effort just over the bar.

The Hawks came under siege in the closing stages and three minutes from time conceded a penalty.

But Worner came to the rescue with a fantastic save to keep out McCarthy's spot-kick.

Hawks have now won six of their last seven league games - a run stretching back to mid-October. And the only match they didn’t win was a 3-3 draw at Braintree where the hosts equalised in the 95th minute.

Hawks: Worner, Magri (Read, 69), Cook, Walton, Straker, Drury, Taylor, Fogden, Kedwell, Rutherford (Bailey 70m), Ayunga (Beckwith, 90).

Substitutes not used: Paul, Tarbuck.

Attendance: 1,315.