MATCH PREVIEW | Weymouth (A)

The Hawks mark Non-League Day this Saturday with a trip down the M27 to take on South Coast rivals Weymouth (3pm).

Whenever the Hawks take on the Terras it’s a fiery affair, but interim co-manager Cliff de Gordon said after that the Hawks players have shown him that they’re up for the fight.

Fans who get to the ground early will be treated with a match between Weymouth and Havant and Waterlooville’s walking football teams. The match will kick off at 12:30.

Hawks last time out:

In their last fixture the Hawks took a trip to the White Cliffs to take on bottom of the table Dover Athletic.

It was a frustrating day for the Hawks, who were unable to really get a foot in the game. The Whites dominated the Hawks for the first half, but the home side did struggle in the second spell.

Devante Stanleys sending off for receiving a second yellow in the 75th minute was the standout moment of the game. Callum Kealy came extremely close to scoring the winner in the final few minutes, but Reading loanee Mathew Rowley got down to the ball and denied the Aussie. The game finished 0-0.

The Opposition:

In their last game Weymouth took on high flying Braintree Town. The Irons were in control of the game from the start until the end, but neither side were able to find a way into the goal. The game ended 0-0.

Weymouth sit in 15th and 9 points clear of the relegation zone. They have struggled for form of late, only managing 1 win in their last 8 games.

A win could potentially take the Terra’s one position higher up the table, but a loss would have them looking over their shoulders at Welling United and Hemel Hempstead, both only 3 points behind them.

The Terras form:

Braintree Town 0-0 Weymouth

Weymouth 0-1 Braintree Town

Aveley 0-2 Weymouth

Weymouth 1-1 Torquay United

Weymouth 3-3 St Albans City

Head-to-Head:

When the Terra’s travelled to Westleigh Park back in October the fans were treated to a testy game.

Both sides got going quickly and were causing problems for the defences from the blow of the referee’s whistle. Despite the Hawks early pressure, skipper Jake McCarthy bundled the ball into his own net from a cross in the 8th minute, handing the lead to the visitors.

This did not deter the Hawks, but instead spurred them on. Muhammadu Faal was presented with chances in the box, but the now Maidstone man couldn’t get enough on the ball. In the 34th minute, James Roberts was awarded a penalty after being brought down in the box by Ezio Touray. The Hawks winger calmly stepped up and smashed the ball into the net, levelling the score.

The rest of the game was dominated by the Hawks who were presented with several good chances. However, none of the Hawks men could find the back of the net. The pick of the chances was Yoan Zouma’s close range header that beat the keeper but rebounded off the crossbar and into the stand. The game frustratingly ended 1-1.

The Hawks and Terra’s first played each other in 2020 and have met 6 times. The Hawks have taken the lion share of wins with 3, while the Terra’s have only managed one. There have been 2 draws.

Ticketing:

You can buy tickets, from the ticket office, on matchday – cash or card, prior to going to the turnstiles. Please note that you will not be able to pay at the turnstiles for entry to a match. You can also purchase tickets online right up until kick-off. The prices are as listed below:

Adult- £16

Concession*- £12

Youth (13-17)- £6

Junior (7-12)- £4

Under 7- Free

Carers- Free

*Over 65, Armed Forces, Dorset Carers Card and Students in full time education. PROOF is required

REMINDER: All children under the age of 13 must be accompanied by a responsible adult

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