Looking to bounce back from defeat in midweek, Shaun North made two changes to his Hawks Starting XI with Josh Dockerill returning to the line-up after picking up a knock at Walton & Hersham a couple of weeks ago and Paul Rooney came in to make his first start since returning to the club earlier this month.

The first period saw contrasting spells for both sides. The tie started with Gloucester dominating the ball and looking to work their chances through the thirds or use their speed and directness on the wings. Marcus Day creating the first opening of the game coming in from the left saw him look to bend an effort in at the far post but he didn’t quite get the curl desired on the effort as it flew wide

It was the hosts who fashioned the first real opening of the game. Gloucester City Captain, Joe Hanks, was able to turn and strike on the edge of the area after some good play but Lorenz Ferdinand was able to make the save.

As the game went on, the Hawks grew into the first half and were playing some great football to work some opportunities. Switching to being direct, Harvey Laidlaw found the head of Harvey Bradbury who flicked into the channel for Leon Maloney to chase. He drove into the area and struck at goal but Jared Thompson was able to get down and make the stop.

Bradbury and Maloney combined once again for the Hawks as they had the Gloucester defence stretched, but on this occasion, they could only force a corner. The delivery from Olly Pendlebury was met by Brendan Willson but his effort didn’t trouble the hosts in the end.

Continuing in their period of pressure, Harvey Laidlaw would come close to opening the scoring, striking a bouncing ball from the edge of the area which was tipped round his post by J. Thompson.

In added time, the Hawks fashioned another great opportunity to take the lead in the game. Maloney, Bradbury and Pendlebury combined well with Leon getting a strike at goal that was then deflected wide and behind for a corner.

With the final play of the half, Olly Pendlebury found himself with a brilliant chance to open the scoring. He received the ball wide and drove inside before striking at goal with his effort whistling just wide of the post

HALF TIME: GLOUCESTER CITY AFC 0-0 HAVANT & WATERLOOVILLE

The Hawks began the second half with the same impetus going forwards as they had in the first but the first chance of the second period would fall to Joe Hanks. Striking hard at the near post after a strong move by the hosts, Ferdinand was equal to the effort

Another chance would fall the way of Ryan Seager for the Hawks as a loose ball from a Pendlebury freekick would fall his way, he struck on the turn but J. Thompson was equal to it.

Gloucester saw a period in the ascendancy as they pressed forward looking for the opener, King Baidoo having a pair of chances in relatively quick succession across separate moves were repelled by the Hawks.

A Hawks corner caused chaos in the Gloucester penalty area as it wasn’t dealt with by J. Thompson. After bouncing around in a crowd of bodies, the ball was struck goalwards by Brendan Willson but he couldn’t find the target.

With time in the game ticking on, Gloucester would come the closest out of either team to breaking the deadlock. Despite appearing to clatter through the back of Mitchell Aston in the air, King Baidoo met an Elis Watts delivery which rattled the face of the crossbar.

Another brilliant opportunity saw Ryan Seager in the area after a great passage of play going forward from the Hawks, he looked to pull it back to Leon Maloney but a last ditch touch from a defending Gloucester player took it away from him. The loose ball fell to Dockerill who looked to go it alone but he was unable to test J. Thompson with his effort.

Moments later, Gloucester would take the lead through new man Marcus Day as he was played into a gap down the channel. Looking to shrug off the Hawks pressure he powered forward before cutting inside and finding the bottom corner with his effort to give the hosts the lead into the final five minutes.

The Hawks pushing hard looked to come forward but weren’t getting anything from the officials as on a couple of occasions, Ethan Giwa-McNeil was bought to ground in a dangerous area but the freekicks weren’t given.

Leon Maloney would receive his second yellow card and was sent off in the fourth minute of added time as he looked to slide in and dispossess Marcus Day on the edge of the Hawks area with the hosts pushing forward for a second goal to kill the game off.

Just two minutes later, the Hawks got themselves a freekick after Harvey Bradbury was fouled. He spotted the ball and played quickly, clipping an inch perfect ball in behind the Gloucester defence into Ryan Seager’s path. In the area with the keeper rooted the effort was struck wide from the skipper, a golden chance to send the game to penalties.

Fashioning one final chance, the Hawks were unable to capitalise from Brendan Willson’s header to Harvey Laidlaw’s cross and the whistle would eventually go ending the Hawks’ run in the competition. It was a vastly improved display from Shaun North’s side but ultimately the Hawks would still be heading home defeated and with work to do ahead of the visit of Farnham Town to Westleigh Park on Wednesday night.

FULL TIME: GLOUCESTER CITY AFC 1-0 HAVANT & WATERLOOVILLE

 

Gloucester City: J. Thompson (GK), Jones, Roberts, O’Regan (Richards-Everton 82′), Williams, Phillips (Watts 61′), Hanks (C), Day, Emmett, Baidoo, Obieri (H. Pinchard 61′ (Z. Pinchard 90+1′))

Unused Subs: C. Thompson

Cautions: None

Goal: Day 85′

 

Havant and Waterlooville: Ferdinand (GK), Milner-Smith, Willson, Bradbury, Pendlebury (Giwa-McNeil 86′), Seager (C), Maloney, Rooney (Atangana 71′), Dockerill, Aston, Laidlaw

Unused Subs: Owusu, Warren, Goddard

Cautions: Maloney 52′, 90+4′, Laidlaw 54′, Pendlebury 76′, Seager 87′

Sent-Off: Maloney 90+4′

 

Report By: Josh Verroken