Goals from Wall, Wright, Roberts, Widdrington and Rendell ensured Paul Doswell’s men would get off to the perfect start at Five Heads Park.

In a match which featured every new signing, the early signs were good ahead of the new season. An injury-free run-out to build fitness and momentum going into the Portsmouth friendly next week.

The First chance of the game finished with the ball in the back of the net after eight minutes when Alex Wall nodded home Josh Passley’s inviting ball from the right.

The visitors continued to create chances, James Roberts and Tommy Wright both going close from distance inside 20 minutes.

Horndean’s keeper was brought into action not long after, as Roberts and Wright took aim again. This time the pair both hit the target, drawing decent stops from the Deans’ shot stopper.

Against the run of play, the hosts equalised through striker Connor Duffin on 27 minutes. A long ball over the top caught the Hawks out and Duffin finished well past Searle after going one on one.

It wasn’t long before the Hawks regained the lead. Passley did well down the right before pulling the ball back to Wright who finished first time.

Wright wasn’t finished there and soon netted his second. Joe Newton’s lofted ball from the left found the striker unmarked at the back post and he powered his header in off the crossbar, leaving the goalkeeper no chance.

On the stroke of the half-time whistle, Roberts added a fourth when he controlled Passley’s diagonal ball into the area. On the turn, he found the bottom corner with a tidy finish.

HT – Horndean 1 HAWKS 4

Roberts nearly grabbed his second of the game shortly after the restart. But the striker couldn’t quite reach Newton’s low cross.

The chances began to dry up but when substitute Paul Rooney stepped into midfield to win the ball on 66 minutes something looked on for Havant. He broke at pace before firing a ball into Scott Rendell’s path at the back post, but the striker couldn’t guide his header on target.

Theo Widdrington latched on to a loose ball inside the box, following brilliant work from Wright down the left. The substitute smashed it into the roof of the net with 10 minutes to play.

As we approached the final few moments, Rendell netted with a bullet header to secure the victory and get pre-season off to a flyer.

Horndean 1 HAWKS 6

Starting XI – 

Charlie Searle

Josh Passley

Jamie Collins

Sam Magri

Joe Oastler 

Joe Newton

Billy Clifford

Jake McCarthy

James Roberts

Alex Wall

Tommy Wright

Subs used –

Theo Widdrington

Paul Rooney

George McClennan

Christian Rowe

Abdulai Baggie 

Lawson Bright

Michael Green

Scott Rendell

Written by: Ryan Honey