Whitehawk 1-0 East Grinstead Town

Whitehawk defeated bottom side East Grinstead Town 1-0 at The TerraPura Ground in what was a scrappy affair.

The Hawks had the first chance of the game on eight minutes. Lucas Rodrigues skipped past his marker and pulled the ball back for Henry Muggeridge, who scuffed his shot wide. The half went on with no real chances created by either side.  Wasps winger Terrique Hall-Anderson looked lively and Fintan Walsh was booked for halting his progress in a breakaway on the edge of the box.

Hawks came up with a credible attempt four minutes from half-time when Rodrigues again got the better of Ben Harrison on the right, but Drew Cooney make a good block to deny the winger after he had cut inside.  A minute later Whitehawk should have taken the lead when a Charles Banya cross from the left was just about scrambled away by Wasps keeper Ben Dudzinski under pressure from Muggeridge. Ahmed Abdulla then shot wide of the goal, with the keeper stranded on the ground.

Rodrigues was booked for simulation on 56 minutes after going down in the box under a challenge from Cooney. It took until the 67th minute to get the first chance in the second half when a cross by Marvin Hamilton was almost bundled in by Duane Ofori-Acheampong, who had two efforts saved at close range by Dudzinski.

The breakthrough finally came for the Hawks twelve minutes from time after a sensational left foot effort from just outside the box by Lucas Rodrigues smashed the bar and bounced clear. The winger picked up the rebound and at the second attempt crossed to the unmarked Ahmed Abdulla at the far post, who slotted home from six yards out.

With four minutes to go the Wasps appealed for a penalty for hand ball against John Paul Kissock, right on the edge of the box. From the free kick the visitors should have been level but Wasps captain Stephen Smith at the far post somehow put the ball over the bar from point blank range. Sub Connor Tighe then shot narrowly wide as the Hawks saw out of the rest of the game without any more alarms.

Hawks: Broadbent, Emberson, Banya, Kissock, Walsh, Hamilton, Rodrigues, Abdulla, Ofori-Acheampong, Muggeridge (c), Ovenden (Tighe 61’) – Subs Not Used: Unwin, Freeman, Christie, Zabadne

Wasps: Dudzinski, Reardon, Harrison, Henry (Deen 57’), Cooney, S Smith (c), Hall-Anderson (Castanho 75’), Uwezu, Thompson (Belamouadden 73’), Davies, Carvalho – Subs Not Used: Clement-Peter, J Smith

Goals: Abdulla 78’ (Whitehawk)

Yellow Cards: Walsh, Rodrigues (Whitehawk); Henry, Harrison, Smith (East Grinstead)

Referee: Alastair Higgs

Attendance: 293

Hawks Man of the Match: Lucas Rodrigues