Hawks Press – Ebbsfleet United
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
february 2021 Vol 1 Issue 2 INSIDE TODAY CONTENTS 05 - MANAGER THOUGHTS 15 - 18 THE HAWKS SQUAD 30 - Platinum Club 08 - 09 Notts County Report 21 - 24 Ebbsfleet UTD 31 - Matchday Photos 12 Previous meeting 26 - 27 Danny kedwell 32 - todays teams february 2021 Vol 1 Issue 2 H A W K S P R E S S MANAGER THOUGHTS PAUL DOSWELL Good afternoon and welcome to Ebbsfleet United CEO Damien Irvine, Manager Dennis Kutrieb and all of his players and staff for this afternoon's National League South Game. It's fair to say that this season has ranked among the strangest in the 25 years of my football management career. It's fair to say that if the National League told us at the start of the season that grants would only be available for three months, it quite clearly would never have started. The position that all clubs find themselves in at the present time is totally unacceptable and I applaud Liam Watson's recent interview, where in my opinion, he called the situation exactly as I see it. With some teams unable to play and others pressing to continue over these last few weeks, it had left all players and managers in an uncertain position and one I believe we should never been put in, in the first place. With regards to today's game, we face an Ebbsfleet side that would be seen in many peoples eyes as a team that could be Champions this year, but as this league proves time and time again there's no easy games. We've probably played our best football of the season in the reverse fixture and I'm sure we'll have to produce something similar today to get a positive result that we all crave. If this is to be the last game of the season, my sincere hope is that the next time we play is in front of our passionate home support that we have clearly missed for the whole of this season. Football for me is nothing without supporters and the sterile atmosphere leads to a training ground mentality at times, which isn't good for any league. Enjoy The Game. Dos. COYH. february 2021 Vol 1 Issue 2 H A W K S P R E S S MATCH REPORT BY RYAN HONEY 18 days without a game, the Hawks got back in action today and so very nearly came out on top against high-flying Notts County in the Fifth Round of the FA T rophy. After going behind inside the 15 minutes through Matt Wolfe, the hosts completed the comeback just after the restart following goals from Tommy Wright and Bedsente Gomis. County levelled proceedings again from the spot after Nico Jones fouled his man and saw red. Despite Tyreace Palmer’s late dismissal, the result would be decided by penalty kicks. Notts County were the team to prevail scoring four of their five penalties, booking their place in the next round in the process. The game had a quick tempo to it early on, but County didn’t take long to take control of possession and once they did, they punished the Hawks. Jimmy Knowles did well to get away from debutant Nico Jones before pulling the ball back to Matty Wolfe who did the rest from 6 yards out. The Magpies almost doubled their lead following a quick counter on 20 minutes when they caught the home side out from a corner. Calvin Miller and Jordan Barnett worked the ball to get away from the covering defender, but back came Roarie Deacon to make a last ditch block to keep the scores the same. The visitors continued to look dangerous and again took aim at Joe Tupper in the Havant goal. Adam Chicksen cut in from the left before curling an effort that looked destined for the top corner only for it to be marginally wide of the target. Notts were made to rue those missed chances as the Hawks were back level on 34 minutes through Tommy Wright, when a quickly taken free-kick from Billy Clifford set him loose in the area. He beat his man and finished neatly at the near post to level up proceedings. HT – HAWKS 1 Notts County 1 february 2021 Vol 1 Issue 2 H A W K S P R E S S MATCH REPORT BY RYAN HONEY The Hawks took the lead shortly after the restart when Bedsente Gomis rose highest to flick a Josh Taylor corner into the net at the near post. Billy Clifford looked to be enjoying himself out there and almost pulled out a goal of the season contender moments later. A brilliant one-two with Deacon allowed him to get away from his man following a throw-in before firing an effort towards goal which flew just wide. The match took a turn on 70 minutes when Nico Jones pulled down his man in the area. Referee Sunny Gill didn’t hesitate and pointed to the spot before showing Jones a straight red card. Knowles dispatched the penalty kick to draw the away side back on terms. It wasn’t long before the Magpies numerical advantage disappeared as substitute Tyreace Palmer was shown a second yellow card for a late tackle on Tupper. Both teams had opportunities to win the tie inside second-half stoppage time but neither team could find the net which meant it would be decided by penalty kicks FT HAWKS 2 Notts County 2 The visitors came out on top and progressed to the Quarter-Finals of the FA Trophy after winning 4-2 on penalties. The Hawks will be feel aggrieved to have lost but plenty of positives they can take into their League campaign when they get back to it on Tuesday night away to Hemel Hempstead. FT HAWKS 2 Notts County 2 (Notts County win 4-2 on penalties) february 2021 Vol 1 Issue 2 H A W K S P R E S S HEMEL HEMPSTEAD The Hawks remain without a victory since January 2nd after Hemel Hempstead won 2-0 at Vauxhall Road. The visitors would have felt confident heading into today’s game following a valiant display against National League side Notts County at the weekend. But in the end, they struggled to muster anything in front of goal that would cause Hemel problems making it a fairly comfortable day at the office for the home side. Goals from Bernard Christie and Reggie Young either side of the break did the job for Lee Bircham’s men who completed the league double over the Hawks for the first time since the 2015/2016 campaign. Hemel had the first real chance on 11 minutes when Lacey played in Reggie Young through on goal. The winger looked to have beaten Joe Tupper, but his low effort was cleared off the line by a backtracking Nico Jones. Captain Sam Mantom created the opening goal of the game when his pull back was tapped in by Bernard Christie on 13 minutes. The Tudors almost doubled their lead on the stroke of half-time when Christie latched onto a long ball forward. He drilled the ball across the face of goal and Craig Robson stuck a leg out, inadvertently sending the ball goal-wards drawing a top-drawer save from Tupper. HT – Hemel Hempstead 1 HAWKS 0 The lead was doubled soon after restart when Christie got in behind the Hawks defence again. Sam Magri slid across to push the striker wide enough to prevent a shot on goal, so instead he opted to tee up Young who finished into an empty net. The away side did react well and came close to pulling a goal back when substitute Joe Iaciofano took the ball under his spell to get into the area. But the ball got stuck under his feet which allowed Hemel defenders to get back and crowd him out. Doswell’s side did manage to get a shot on target with just over 20 minutes to play when Danny Kedwell tested Nick Hayes from 10 yards, following a Tommy Wright pullback. It looked for all the world the three points would be wrapped up for Hemel when Samir Carruthers raced one on one with Tupper late on. The midfielder tried audaciously scooping the ball over Tupper only for it to dribble wide of the target. The Hawks stay in 9th place, nine points adrift of the play-off places. Ebbsfleet are up next as they travel to the Draper Tools Community Stadium on Saturday. FT – Hemel Hempstead 2 HAWKS 0 february 2021 Vol 1 Issue 2 H A W K S P R E S S PREVIOUS MEETING BY RYAN HONEY EBBSFLEET UTD - 12/12/20 Havant and Waterlooville ran out 3-0 winners against Ebbsfleet on a comfortable day at the office. The win means Paul Doswell’s men leapfrog their opponents and sneak into the play-off places for the first time this campaign. Defender Craig Robson opened the scoring before Tommy Wright bagged a goal either side of the break to ensure they would leave Stonebridge Road with all three points. The Hawks started well, and almost took the lead inside two minutes. Roarie Deacon tried his luck from range and almost caught out goalkeeper Jordan Holmes, who did well to turn it round the post. Ebbsfleet reacted well to the early Havant pressure, and sprung a counter- attack on 7 minutes. Former Southampton youngster Will Wood picked up the ball on the right side of midfield before sprinting 50 yards and sending an effort towards the top corner.