A sublime second half performance from The Hawks, which produced three goals, was enough to see of Hadley after a scrappy first half display.
The second lowest ranked side left in this year’s competition gave it their all, but two quick fire goals from Alfie Rutherford and Jonah Ayunga early in the second half put the game beyond doubt, before Ryan Seager sealed the win with his first goal in Hawks colours.
“It was a difficult first half,” began Doswell: “It took one of Ian Baird’s particular team talks to get the team going.
“Credit to Hadley because I think they ran their socks off in the first half against our side that was slowing their movements, slowing their passing. We looked like we thought it was going to be an easy game.”
Doswell continued to mention that half time was a big turning point in the fixture as himself and Baird boosted the team’s motivation.
“At half time I managed to get a few things over to them and I thought in the second half the lads did very well.
“We scored three goals, I think we hit the post and bar three times as well and got the job done which is always the most important thing.
“If you look at Enfield Town today going to Chichester City and losing so these things can happen. Hadley had a real go first half and they were sat in deep.
“You see England in international football struggling to break teams like that down with 10 men behind the ball. What I was impressed with them is that they broke in twos and threes.
“They had one or two little glimpses in the first half where I was starting to get a little uneasy between the 35th and 45th minute. It was a credit to the two of us, me and Bairdy, he is a man in particular that can come in and change the feeling in the dressing room.
“He says very simply what needs to be done and I thought the lads took that on board and got in the end what was a fairly comfortable win.
Doswell began to finish off the post-match interview by heaping praise on the visitors who put up a fight and gave their all in an attempt to progress into the next round of the competition.
“Massive credit to them, as I just said to their manager their players done themselves proud. Obviously, the fitness side of it caught up to them and the two goals in the 53rd and 56th minute really knocked the stuffing out of them.
“Whilst it’s 0-0 in football up to 53 minutes they were fighting for everything and like I said that wasn’t an easy afternoon at the office.”
The win means The Hawks are in the hat for the next and final qualifying round of the competition, with the draw taking place at 1:30 pm on Monday 7th October.
By Liam Rice (@Liam_Rice9)