Havant and Waterlooville made it two wins on the bounce after beating mid-table visitors Hemel Hempstead 2-0 at Westleigh Park on Wednesday evening. Goals from man of the match Harry Jewitt-White and Sion Spence capped off a dominant display from the Hawks. The win carries on the feel-good feeling that returned to Westleigh Park after the clubs home 4-3 win over Dover Athletic last week. 

The game started quickly with Hemel’s Montel McKenzie bursting into the box, only being stopped by the linesman’s flag. Hemel controlled the opening 5 minutes, but attack after attack was stopped by a stubborn Hawks back line. A shot from the edge of the area in the 5th min from Tudors man George Williams crashed off the crossbar and back into play. Straight after this Ben Morgan drove the ball up the pitch from the left side of the pitch, but his cross couldn’t find any Havant players. In the 8th minute Kieran Philips won a chance in a dangerous position just outside of the Tudors box. Jack Jebb stood over the free kick and the number 17 smashed the ball into the Hemel wall, resulting in Chris Small needing treatment. 

Hemel’s attack was causing problems, and in the 11th minute Daniel Powell burst into the box, but his shot was saved by the feet of Ross Warner. This didn’t matter though, as the Tudors striker was called offside. The game was back and forth, with the Hawks unlucky not to receive a freekick when Kieran Philips was pulled down in the Hemel half. Hemel’s dirty play caught up with them though, when Montel McKenzie received the first yellow of the game for a hard challenge on Roarie Deacon. Jebb took the freekick from 40 yards out, but it resulted in a Hemel freekick in the box when Devante Stanley was ruled offside. 

The Hawks were lucky to not to go 1-0 down in the 21st minute after Stanley lost possession in the home teams’ box, resulting in a fingertip save from Warner. This save found George Williams, who smashed the ball into the crossbar from 10 yards. The Hawks were playing great football, with plenty of excellent build up play from the Harry Jewitt-White. Hemel weren’t giving the Hawks a second of rest though, with Ross Warner having to make a point blank after a light shot from the Tudors. The Hawks were struggling to break down a well set up Hemel defence. Devante Stanley constantly made runs into the Hemel box, but no Hawks players were able to get into the right areas to meet the crosses. 

The Hawks had an amazing chance at 30 minutes. After winning a freekick at the corner flag, Jebb found Morgan in the box, but the Hawks number 6 couldn’t quite convert. The game became more even after this chance, with neither side being able to break down what were well set up defences. The Hawks finally found a breakthrough in the 40th minute through Stanley, who was able to complete a great run down the right-hand side and whizz the ball in the box, but Seagers header was softly punched away by Hemel keeper Craig King. This livened up the Hemel players, who suddenly started throwing everything they had at the Hawks. Multiple runs by George Williams and Chris Smith were thwarted by the Hawks defence. The Tudors won a free kick on the edge of the box, but George Willaims cross could only meet the head of Jewitt-White, who cleared the ball. The half ended with the Hawks coming close again. Deacon laid the ball off to Jewitt-White who had made a great run, but the Portsmouth loanee could only pass the ball the Stanley, whose shot was confidently held by King. 

HALF TIME: Havant and Waterlooville 0-0 Hemel Hempstead

The Hawks kicked off the half and were testing the Hemel players straight away. In the 46th minute Ryan Seager found Kieran Philps with an amazing ball. The Havant number 8 burst into the box but his shot was saved by King, winning the Hawks a corner. The Hawks kept going at the Tudors back line, and in the 50th minute Jack Jebb fired the ball into the side netting after a quick counterattack. Stanley won Havant won a corner in the 53rd minute which was taken by Jebb. This found the head of McNerney, whose header was again calmly collected by King. Hemel came into the game after this. Tarrelle Whittaker went on an incredible run and found another Hemel player in the Hawks box. A mad scramble in the box resulted in a shot from Miles Judd that found the roof of the stadium. The Hawks woke up after this, and in the 61st minute Ryan Seager was able to make a darting run into the box and found himself 1-on-1 with the Hemel stopper. Craig King came out on top and collected the ball from the floor. Hemel went on the attack after this, and Judd was able to get a shot off outside the box. Again though, this went out of play. The Havant defence looked shaky after this, and the Hemel players were finding passes that would normally be intercepted. 

To try and get the Hawks attack going again, Mo Faal was brought on for Philips in the 66th minute. The Hawks defence were up against it, but they stood firm under the leadership of McNerney. The Hawks weren’t giving the Hemel players a second on the ball to make decisions. This worked out well as Deacon won the ball in the midfield, laying the ball off to Stanley, who’s cross into the box found Jewitt-White. He couldn’t quite get his shot off though, and the ball was cleared. Straight after this Jewitt-White made an interception in the middle of the park and he drove the ball forward, making a pass to McCarthy. The skipper couldn’t keep his shot down though as it went flying over the bar. The game calmed down after this, but the Hawks were still very much in control. Faal brought a new element to the game, with his tricky dribbling confusing the Hemel back line. The Hawks came agonisingly close after McCarthy found the ball on the edge of the box, only being stopped by a sensational save from King, sending the ball out for a corner. The corner was taken short in the 79th minuet by Jebb and it founds it way to Jewitt-White in the middle of the box. Harry struck ball cleanly, and it found its way into the back of the net, making it a very well deserved 1-0 to the Hawks. 

Havant made their second sub of the game after this, bringing on Jafer Mahammad-Kier for Seager. Jafer came so close to making an immediate impact when he almost got a shot off after a pass from the middle of the park. The game kept going at full pace, with Warner almost costing the Hawks after dropping the ball from a corner and causing a scramble in the box. Harry Jewitt-White won a freekick after being pulled back in the Hemel half, with Arjanit Krasniqi being lucky not to be sent off. Jebb took the freekick, but play was soon stopped after Deacon shoved Krasniqi in the air, getting the Hawks man a yellow card. Deacon was taken off because of this and was replaced by Sion Spence in the 88th minute. 

Faal came so close to doubling the lead after picking up the ball in the middle of the park, but his shot was blocked and fell to Spence, whose shot was also blocked. 5 minutes of added time was added on to the game. Hemel looked to break but they could not get past the Hawks defence, with Stanley making a few important interceptions on George Williams. Jafer was like lightning on the pitch, running from pillar to post and winning the ball for the Hawks on numerous occasions. This paid off massively when the talented academy graduate made an interception in the middle of the Hemel half, laying the ball off to Faal who spotted Spence making a run into the Tudors box. Spence received the ball and took his shot instantly, beating the keeper and nestling the ball in the back of the net, making the score 2-0 to the Hawks. The whistle was blow soon after this, with Havant walking away with all three points. An incredible result for the Hawks in what was in doubt the best performance of the season. Harry Jewitt-White was deservedly given the man of the match after a well worked goal and even better performance. The Hawks will look to press on and make it three wins on the bounce when they take on Taunton Town on Saturday at 15:00pm. 

FULL TIME: Havant and Waterlooville 2-0 Hemel Hempstead

ATT: 616

Report by Harry Ince