Hawks will prove they are here to stay in National League

Shaun Gale has revealed the determination in the Hawks camp to make their mark in the Vanarama National League.
The Hawks beat Aldershot at home. Picture: Neil MarshallThe Hawks beat Aldershot at home. Picture: Neil Marshall
The Hawks beat Aldershot at home. Picture: Neil Marshall

Gale has been around enough, however, to recognise that it will take a lot of hard work.

His comments after the recent 4-0 defeat at Bromley were apt and very telling.

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Standing at the mouth of the players tunnel he admitted: '˜It was never going to be easy.'

So far that has certainly been the case.

After 10 games the Hawks find themselves in 20th position one place above the relegation zone.

'˜As a club we have worked hard to get where we are,' said Gale.

'˜We are all determined to make sure that we stay where we are.

'˜From the start we knew that it will present a challenge.

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'˜In this league we are competing against teams that are full-time and have a lot of ex-Football League players.

'˜They are key factors and it is a big jump from Conference South to Conference National.

'˜It is almost another division of the Football League.

'˜Up until now we haven't got enough points but anyone who has watched us will say that we have held our own.

'˜We have just been punished for mistakes and the higher you go that is going to happen more.

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'˜You are up against better players and have to expect that.

'˜If we can eradicate the errors then with the group of lads we have got we still believe we are more than good enough to stay in this league.'

The 2-1 win against Aldershot Town, a first home win of the season, gave the Hawks a huge boost.

Though they lost 3-2 at Harrogate Town on Saturday they produced another competitive performance.

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Not for the first time this season the Hawks were denied a reward they felt they fully deserved.

For much of the game they more than matched the unbeaten league leaders on their own patch.

'˜We don't even think about going back out of this league,' said Gale.

'˜It was a heck of a hard job getting here and it has taken a long long time.

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'˜We will be doing all that we can to stay in it and I believe we will do it.

'˜I have been with the club for 18 years as a player, coach, manager and assistant manager.

'˜The club has made massive strides in that time and that is down to all the hard work put in by everyone at the club.

'˜That isn't going to change.'