This Weekend’s Match Preview - Whitehawk (Away) FA Cup 3.00pm

Dulwich hit the road to the South Coast, travelling to the National League South Hawks in the 2nd Qualifying Round of the Emirates FA Cup on Saturday.

There could hardly have been a tougher tie for the Hamlet when the draw for this stage of the competition paired Gavin Rose’s men with National League highflyers Whitehawk but that is the true magic of the cup when odds can be upset and the big boys toppled. Among the ranks of the Hawks is one who knows just how that feels, Argentine exile striker Sergio Torres. Back in 2011 he was part of Crawley Town side than came agonisingly close to causing a shock when they lost narrowly at Old Trafford to a Manchester United side containing Wayne Rooney in their lineup that day.

Fast forward to this weekend and Torres is a key part of a Whitehawk side that is aiming to put aside defeat to Boreham Wood in last season’s Conference South play off final by striking for the principle of the Non League game this time around. The current campaign has proved a profitable one so far for the Brighton-based Hawks with just one defeat in their opening 11 matches. Currently they sit third in the table behind the unlikely duo of Ebbsfleet, the team formerly known as Gravesend and Northfleet and backed to the eyeballs with Kuwaiti investment, and Oxford City, who have built from the community upwards having been in the Spartan South Midlands League just a decade ago.

With the Enclosed Ground having seen a number of high-profile arrivals and some key departures, including Osei Sankofa to Dulwich, the Hawks opened their assault on the title with a rollciking 4-3 win away to Hayes and Yeading before surrendering a 2-0 lead at home to Margate to be left with just a share of the points. Defeat to Bath City followed courtesy of a crudely conceded goal. A trip down the coast to Gosport Borough saw the points shared but again Steve King’s men proved vulnerable after racing into a two goal lead soon after the restart. In a game of ugly fouls, Gosport hit back to halve the deficit before levelling deep into 6 minutes of added time.

With kick off in their encounter at home to Chelmsford City delayed by the aftermath of the Shoreham Air Show tragedy, Whitehawk took advantage of some sluggishness in the ranks of the Essex men, racing into a 3-0 lead before the break. Howvr the Clarets rallied post half time hairdryer treatment from the boss but though they managed twice to find the net a fourth Hawks’ goal had by then made the destination of the points academic.

Victory set Whitehawk up nicely for the tough trip to Stonebridge Road and for a time it seemed the well-oiled wheels of the Ebbsfleet juggernaut had be thoroughly derailed as the Hawks led at the half through David Ijaha and Sam Deering, with Deering also seeing a penalty saved. However for a third time in the season Steve KIng and his side were left frustrated as they had to settle for a point, ‘Fleet’s substitutes Matt Godden and Danny Haynes bagging the goals to leave the encounter all-square.

Frustrating as that semi-surrender might have been it proved the catalyst for Whitehawk to tighten up and aim for the summit. Quickfire first half goals from Danny Mills and Shamir Fenelon saw the hosts topple Sutton United at the Enclosed Ground.

More accustomed to seeing their heroes surrender two goal leads, it was a novel experience as the Hawks battled back from 2-0 down to overturn Maidenhead United 3-2. That scoreline was repeated in equally dramatic fashion as the trip to Havant & Waterlooville produced a ding-dong, see-saw contest that saw Whitehawk take an early lead, the hosts bang in goals either side of the break before winning it late as first Jake Robinson found the net with a peach of a free kick six minutes from time, the victor’s laurels going to Scott Neilson with a mesmerising solo goal in the second minute of added time.

Coming from behind seems to have developed its place in the Whitehawk coaching manual as last Saturday’s trip to the Island of Canvey, home of Concord Rangers, proved. Concord poked their noses in front with a penalty converted after just six minutes before goals from Robinson and Mills turned the match in the Hawks favour; victory lifting them to the heady heights of third spot.

This Saturday’s game takes place at The Enclosed Ground, East Brighton Park, Wilsons Avenue, Brighton BN2 5TS

Admission Prices:

• Adults: £12
• Seniors / Students: £7
• Under 16s FREE