The Hawks kick off their final three back-to-back home games on Saturday with a relegation six-pointer against Dartford.
The Hawks will have to rise to the occasion in this season-defining match, with both sides needing a win in hopes of securing themselves a spot in the National League South next campaign.
Interim co-manager Ross Betteridge has made it clear that the Hawks trio of home games could make or break their season: “The lads bounced back from that Worthing result really well, gone and picked up a massive three points on the road and set themselves up for a big run in now.”
A win on Saturday would bring the Hawks within just one point of Dartford in 21st, and potentially only two points from safety.
Hawks’ Last Time out:
Havant’s victory over Aveley on Monday kept their survival chances alive.
The first half of the tie was even, with both sides creating chances but not managing to apply that finishing touch. Sadly, the most notable moment of the half was Brendan Wilson being stretchered off the pitch after sustaining a nasty injury. He was replaced by Jake McCarthy.
The second half is where the game started to spice up. The Hawks wasted no time getting into gear after the break. Alfy Whittingham struck the ball towards goal on the volley, but his shot was deflected wide for a Hawks corner. In the 50th minute, a rapid cross was put into the Aveley box, meeting the head of Joe McNerney. The skipper struck the ball cleanly with his head and sent it flying into the net. 1-0 to the Hawks.
Havant didn’t have much time to celebrate their advantage though. In the 56th minute, Razzaq Coleman won possession just inside the Hawks half and sprinted to the right-hand side of the box. He took his shot from outside the area and curled the ball beautifully around Worner, nestling it into the top corner. The score was now 1-1.
The equaliser gave both sides the hope that they could go on and win the game, resulting in a passionate and hard-fought 30 minutes. Aveley almost put themselves in the driving seat when Eduino Vaz whizzed the ball across the face of the goal, but Kai Innocent was there to clear it from danger before an Aveley shirt could get on the end of it.
James Roberts coming on for Whittingham gave the Hawks an extra dimension that Aveley could not deal with. Roberts was constantly winning or being given the ball and running at the Millers’ backline, creating chance after chance for the Hawks.
Aveley stopper Jonathan North kept the home side in the game, getting his hand on the end of potential winners from Roberts and Innocent. However, he was riding his luck and was looking less and less confident after every Hawks attack.
This sustained pressure finally proved effective for the Hawks just before the end of the 90. In the 87th minute, James Roberts was picked out by an excellent lofted ball over the Aveley defence. James Roberts spotted Ryan Seager alone in the middle of the box, so played the ball to the Hawks’ number 9. Seager showed no hesitation and poked the ball past North to hand the Hawks a winner late on.
The Hawks capped off a great display with an excellent piece of defensive coordination to deny Aveley a late equaliser from a corner. The game ended 2-1 for the Hawks.
Words from the touchline:
Interim co-manager Ross Betteridge said after the result: “That felt great, lads have done really well.
“The guys have done tremendous today. The one time they scored we got a bit scared and made a mistake, but apart from that they haven’t threatened us at all. We’ve gone down the other end and Seags doesn’t miss those, does he?
“There’s a lot to do but three home games on the bounce will give us a good little run to end the season.
“With the fans behind I think we’re still in with a chance of staying up.”
The Opposition:
In their last result, the Darts fell to fellow relegation candidates Eastbourne Borough thanks to a Yahaya Bamba double.
The Darts have been in torrid form since the start of the new year, picking up only one victory in 2024. They currently find themselves sat in 21st, four points above the Hawks in 23rd.
Dartford have lost 12 out of the 17 games they’ve played since the turn of the new year, with only a few draws and a win against Dover keeping them within reach of safety.
The Kent-based outfit have scored 50 goals this campaign, the same as the Havant, but have conceded significantly less than the Hawks. Despite their poor form, the Darts have taken half of their wins on the road, so the Hawks will be in with a tough challenge.
The Darts come into this game in the same position as the Hawks, desperately needing a win. However, their next two fixtures are against league leaders Yeovil and free-scoring Worthing, so picking up three points on Saturday may be their last chance to do so this season.
The Darts Form:
Dartford 0-2 Eastbourne Borough
Chelmsford 4-1 Dartford
Truro 0-0 Dartford
Dartford 1-1 Hemel Hempstead
Dartford 1-1 Maidstone United
Ticketing:
Tickets can be purchased both online and, on the turnstile, however, we advise that fans purchase online so they don’t miss out! Tickets can be purchased here: https://havantandwaterloovillefc.ticketco.events/uk/en/e/havant__waterlooville_vs_dartford__saturday_6_april_2024
Adult: £15
Concession*: £10
Child**: £10
*Aged over 65 on the date of the fixture
**Aged between 16-17 on the date of the fixture
Refreshments:
The Westleigh Pub will be open from 11:00 am serving food and drink to supporters of both teams.
Our stands inside the ground will all be open serving a variety of Hot Food, Snacks and Soft Drinks including our famous Hawky Porky.
Where to follow:
Tune into Hawks Radio to listen to live commentary of the game from Josh Verroken and Les Hyson: https://hawks-radio.mixlr.com/
Match Updates will also be available on the Hawks Social Media channels: