Havant and Waterlooville v Chelmsford City, Saturday 3rd February- 15:00
The Hawks will hope to regain their winning form when they take on promotion chasing Chelmsford City on Saturday
In their last game out the Hawks lost 1-0 when they travelled to Wiltshire to take on Chippenham Town. The Hawks started well but Caine Bradbury broke the deadlock for the Bluebirds in the first half with an impressive solo goal. The Hawks pilled pressure on the Bluebirds, but they could not find the net, ending the game at 1-0.
In their last game out Chelmsford drew 1-1 with Weston-super-Mare. The Clarets had the lead for most of the game thanks to Ody Alfa’s goal late in the first half. However, the Seagulls were able to find a last-minute equaliser through Jacob Cane, meaning the spoils were shared in Essex.
The Hawks dropped down to 24th after recent results, but a win could see them climb above Dover Athletic, with the two sides being on level points.
Opposition Form:
Chelmsford City 1-1 Weston-super-Mare
Hampton & Richmond Borough 0-1 Chelmsford City
Chelmsford City 1-0 Welling United
Chelmsford City 0-1 Wealdstone
Worthing 2-3 Chelmsford City
Head-to-head:
Last time out the Hawks travelled to Essex and the sides played out a 1-1 draw. Mo Faal scored just before the end of the first half, but Mohammed Bettamer was able to find an equaliser in the 80th minute to end the game in a draw.
The Hawks and Clarets have played each other 26 times in the past. The Hawks have the lions share of the wins with 11, while the Clarets have a respectable 6 wins. The sides have also seen out 9 draws in the past.
This match is rarely dull, with an average of 3 goals being scored when these teams meet.
Ones to watch:
Hawks fans will recognise Charlie Ruff, who joined the club in November 2022 from Chelmsford City. Ruff went on to score 5 goals in 23 appearances for the Hawks, before re-joining the Clarets ahead of the 23/24 season. Ruff is Chelmsford top goal scorer this season with 8 goals, so the Hawks will have to keep an eye out for him.
Another player worth keeping an eye on is 18-year-old forward Freddie Hockey. The centre-forward joined the Clarets from Colchester in 2021 and has scored 6 goals in 20 appearances this season, most coming off the bench.
Luke Jenkins will also be worth a watch, with the centre-back missing only one National League South game for the Clarets this season, massively contributing to the Clarets impressive defensive unit.
Team news:
This week the Hawks welcomed the loan signing of Hampton & Richmond midfielder Alfy Whittingham. Alfie, 25, is a local who made his professional debut for the Hawks when he was 18. He returned to the club on a 1-month loan in February 2022, making 6 appearances and scoring 1 goal before joining current club Hampton & Richmond. Everyone at the club is looking forward to seeing Alfy back in a Hawks shirt.
Brendan Wilson will be unavailable for selection due to the injury he picked up against St Albans City. Everyone at the club wishes Brendan a quick recovery.
Jake McCarthy and Sam Mathews continue with their rehabilitations and continue to unavailable for selection.
Ticketing:
Matchday tickets to attend Saturday’s fixture against Chelmsford City at Westleigh Park can be purchased either on the turnstile or in advance through our ticketing Partner TicketCo, which can be found in the ticketing section of our website HERE.
When purchasing on the turnstile, we accept cash and card payments though we advise either purchasing online or arriving early to avoid any delays.
Tickets for Saturday’s fixture is priced as follows:
Adult- £15
Concession*- £10
Student- £10
Under 16- FREE (Must be accompanied by a Full Paying Adult)
Portsmouth FC Season Ticket Holder- £10 (Must present Valid Portsmouth FC Season Ticket upon entry)
*Our concessionary rate covers OAP’s as well as NHS & Armed forces (this discount is only applicable on production of a valid NHS or Forces Card)
Refreshments:
The Westleigh Pub will be open from 11:00am 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:
X: https://twitter.com/HWFCOfficial
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hwfcofficial/?hl=en
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HWFCOfficial