The Hawks’ trip to the Cotswolds saw them nick a 92nd Minute winner against a spirited Cirencester Town at the Corinium Stadium on a grey and overcast afternoon. Lee Bradbury rewarded Charlie Searle for his loyalty to the club by giving him his first competitive start of the season. Andreas Robinson came in for the injured Theo Lewis and there was also starts for Alfie Rutherford and James Hayter.
The hosts showed some real grit right from the get go and gave the Hawks some real warning signals with two chances early on in the piece. Their best chance of the first half came after the half hour mark when they had a shot which only the post would deny to make it 1-0. Then within a minute Alfie Rutherford showed his goal poaching pedigree to give the visitors a 1-0 lead following being teed up by James Hayter.
This was just what the doctor ordered for the Hawks and then started to assert their authority on the match restricting the hosts to a couple of half chances before the break. The start to the second half was very much the same, it seemed as if it was a case of when the Hawks were going to get a second. But Cirencester showed true grit and the side from the Cotswolds equalised just before the 70th Minute. The tie threw right open.
The game went to 90 minutes and on Hawks Radio I say ‘it looks like a replay on Tuesday as it stands’. Then just a matter of minutes later Rory Williams is over a free kick for the Hawks, he whips the ball in and it finds Jason Prior and the super sub wins it for the Hawks and another case of cure of the commentator.
It was a tough battle but the Hawks made their way into the second round of the Buildbase FA Trophy and a home date with Billericay Town on November 12th. In a competition where the Hawks have made two semi’s, let’s hope it is just one step closer to Wembley way!!
Henry Deacon
Henry Deacon Media 