Gale: Hawks hunger will not be in doubt

Shaun Gale wants the Hawks to keep piling the pressure on at the top of National League South.
Jordan Rose. Picture: Ian Hargreaves (171579-1)Jordan Rose. Picture: Ian Hargreaves (171579-1)
Jordan Rose. Picture: Ian Hargreaves (171579-1)

The third-placed outfit are three points adrift of leaders Dartford with three games in hand on their Kent rivals.

Relegation-battling Hungerford Town are the visitors to Westleigh Park tomorrow (3pm).

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Gale insists it a good chance for the hosts to add to their meagre tally of four home wins in the league.

‘If our home record had been as good as our results away we would have been clear by now,’ said the assistant boss.

‘We have to forget about that and our games in hand and focus on winning football matches.

‘As a management team we are not getting carried away. We won’t allow the players to do so, either.

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‘Up until now we have done well but nothing has been achieved yet. Our priority is to try to keep doing what we have been doing since the start of the season.

‘That is what has got us in the good position we are in.

‘Without doubt this is the best ever group of players I have ever had to work with as a coach. They are an honest, hard-working bunch.

‘We have to keep picking up points and see where that takes us.’

Hungerford are expected to provide the Hawks with another tricky assignment on home turf.

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In the first half of the season, teams visiting Westleigh Park tended to sit in and get numbers behind the ball.

This frustrated the Hawks who were also caught out on the break on occasions – losing games they had dominated.

Lee Bradbury’s side have recently improved in dealing with this tactic.

In their last home fixture – a goalless draw with Braintree – it was the dreadful state of the pitch that frustrated them as much as the Essex opposition.

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When the Hawks visited Hungerford earlier this season, they came away with a 1-0 win.

On that occasion the Berkshire side turned out to be a big strong team who were difficult to break down.

No doubt they will aim to present a similar problem as they look for vital points in their bid to climb away from the relegation zone.

Gale is hoping the pitch will have improved enough in the past two weeks to allow the Hawks to play their usual passing game.

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‘The pitch has been covered for the two wettest days since the last game,’ he added.

‘Hopefully it will be a lot drier and in better condition.’

Defender Jordan Rose and striker Matt Tubbs are doubts for the game.

Rose has a muscle problem, while Tubbs has been ill. Neither have been able to train.

Hawks: Young, Woodford, Robinson, Harris, Williams, Stock, Lewis, Fogden, Barker, Prior, Rutherford, Carter, Huggins, Hayter, Molyneaux, Tuttle, Strugnell