Whitehawk will be hoping that its fourth time lucky as they looked to get their first win of the Isthmian League South East season at Phoenix Sports on Saturday.

The Hawks were again undone late on last time out at Herne Bay, with the visitors scoring three times in the final eight minutes after Adam El-Abd saw red for a second yellow card.

That means Jude Macdonald’s side have only one point from their first three league games, although they have played sides all in the top five of the fledgling table.

“For three games in a row we have shot ourselves in the foot and it’s mind-boggling,” said boss Macdonald after the 3-1 defeat last weekend. 

“Sometimes in football you can plan and you can prepare as managers and players, and do everything right but football will always surprise you.”

Henry Muggeridge opened the scoring for the Hawks after 25 minutes last weekend, with his cross-come-shot catching out keeper George Kamurasi.

But after El-Abd’s sending off, and similar to recent weeks, the Hawks couldn’t see the game out for all three points with Laurence Harvey’s brace and Zak Ansah’s stoppage time effort giving Herne Bay all three points.

The Hawks travel to Mayplace Road to face a Phoenix Sports side who have won two and lost two of their four league games to date – the latest coming on Tuesday night.

Max Miller and Jordi Ndozid were on target for Burgess Hill Town as they beat Paul Byron’s side 2-0 at the More Than Tyres Stadium.

When the two teams last met back in February, it was the Hawks who prevailed after late efforts from Dave Martin and Ahmed Abdulla gave them a 2-0 win.