The Hawks left Sommerset with a sinking feeling after they lost 1-0 to top of the league Yeovil Town on Saturday. 

The game was quick to get going, with the first chance falling to the Hawks in the 4th minute. Kai Innocent crossed the ball into the home teams’ box and found Ryan Seager on the left-hand side. Seager crossed the ball towards Callum Kealy who headed it on target. However, Joe Day was able to get his fingertips onto the Aussies shot, tipping it onto the crossbar and out of danger.  

The next twenty minutes of the game was uneventful, with neither side being able to find any real opportunities to score. The only chance of this spell fell to the Glovers. Sonny Blu Lo-Everton played the ball to Jordon Young just outside the box, but the midfielder couldn’t get his tame shot on target, sending it into the side netting. 

Play was very back-and-forth after this, with both sides stepping up their efforts to find the back of the net. The Hawks had a great chance when new signing Nathan Carlyle was taken down outside the Glovers box, handing the away side a free kick from a great position. Seager stepped up and struck the ball at Days goal, but his effort flew over the crossbar. 

Despite the Hawks having some attempts, Yeovil were in control of the game. The Glovers attack was bombarding the Hawks defence, with Michael Smith coming agonisingly close to taking the lead when he hit the crossbar just after the 30 minute mark. 

The Glovers efforts were rewarded when Jake Wannell took the lead in the 32nd minute. Sam Pearson was found in the box from a corner, and he skilfully backheeled the ball to Lo-Everton, who drove deeper into the box. He passed to Jake Wannell, who was able to smash the ball into the Hawks net from point blank range, making the score 1-0 to the Glovers.  

The rest of the half was uneventful. Yeovil were in control but not testing the Hawks back line. The referee blew his whistle and the Hawks headed down the tunnel with a big task ahead of them in the second half. 

Half time: Yeovil Town 1-0 Havant and Waterlooville 

The Hawks came out firing. The side looked to have improved, with James Roberts being found in space within the first minute of the half. The winger took a shot, but it flew over the bar. 

The Hawks early chance made the home team step their play up a gear. The Yeovil attack drove forward after the goal kick that resulted from Roberts miss. Michael Smith received the ball on the edge of the box and crossed it in. However, his cross was on target and would have crept into the net if not for a trademark Worner acrobatic save. 

The Hawks continued to apply pressure, winning a succession of corners. Devante Stanley received the ball on the edge of the box and took his shot, but again it was not on target. The Hawks brought on Beckford and Deacon to try and add a finishing touch to the Hawks chances, but this was unsuccessful.

The changes made the Hawks less secure. Ben Morgan was dispossessed in the midfield by Pearson, who ran half the length of the pitch and found himself one-on-one with Worner. Ross stood tall though and made a fantastic save, nullifying any danger to the Hawks goal. 

The Hawks made a similar mistake minutes after this, allowing Jordan Stevens to run in behind, leaving Worner in another one-on-one situation. The stopper came off his line excellently again to save the shot and deny the Glovers their 2nd goal. 

What followed was a very uneventful spell of play, where the Hawks struggled to keep possession. The only real chance came when Stanley won a freekick thanks to a foul from Jay Foulston, with the defender receiving a yellow card for his trouble. Deacon picked out Seager who was alone in the box, but he couldn’t find the net. 

Morgan was really pushing to find a goal late on. First, he crossed the ball into the box, but couldn’t find a Hawks shirt. Then a minute later he collected the ball off Deacon and struck from range, but again his chance flew over the bar.  

These were the last actions of the game which ended in a 1-0 defeat for the Hawks thanks to Wannell’s first half goal. The afternoon was plagued by mistakes and missed chances for the Hawks, who will hope to put this result behind them when they travel to Eastbourne Borough on Tuesday.

Full time: Yeovil Town 1-0 Havant and Waterlooville 

Attendance: 3801 

Written by Harry Ince

Yeovil Town starting XI: Day (GK), Williams, Whittle (Foulston 19’), Wannell, Worthington (C), Young, Morgan (Stevens 65’), Lo-Everton, Smith, Pearson (Dawes 77’), Nouble

Unused subs: Owers, Fisher

Goals: Wannell 32’

Yellow cards: Young 39’, Nouble 46′, Day 68’, Foulston (80’)

Havant and Waterlooville starting XI: Worner (GK), Stanley, Innocent, McNerney (C), Morgan, Carlyle, Seager, Jewitt-White (Spence 83’), Kealy (Beckford 58’), Whittingham (Deacon 64’), Roberts

Unused subs: Willson, Jebb

Yellow cards: Carlyle (51’), McNerney (83’), Morgan (90+1’)