Onto the FA Cup – a tournament where the Hawks have thrived in past seasons – with Sevenoaks Town the destination for Shaun Saunders’ side.

And a well-deserved break it is too from the league following back-to-back 3-1 victories over strong opposition in Billericay Town and Horsham during the bank holiday weekend.

The attention switches to the FA Cup First Qualifying Round and Sevenoaks Town, a side who, in recent years, have contested with the Hawks on numerous occasions in the Isthmian League South East.

Whitehawk will hope for better fortune this time around, after crashing out at the very first stage last season at the hands of K Sports.

Both sides come into this cup tie in fine form, with tomorrow’s hosts having won all three of their matches on home soil so far this season, including a 3-0 triumph over Colliers Wood United that sealed their name in the hat for this round.

The Opposition

Currently occupying fifth place in the Isthmian League South East, it’s been a promising start to the season for Harry Hudson’s ‘Oaks’ who, despite losing at Ashford United in their lone away league game thus far, came away with victories against Ramsgate and East Grinstead Town at Greatness Park.

Finishing the previous campaign nine points adrift of the play-offs, Hudson will be hoping to close that gap rather significantly this time around, and he’ll be pleased with the start his side have made.

Travelling to Lingfield in the very first stage of the competition on August 6, a 3-1 win courtesy of a Daniel Bennett brace set up a home tie with Colliers Wood United, where three second half goals ensured The Oaks would be going through to the next stage.

One to Watch | Solomon Baugh: Finding the net on nine occasions for Sevenoaks last season, the intelligent winger has swiftly followed it up with three goals to commence the campaign.

Scoring what proved to be the winner against Ramsgate on the opening league, Baugh was a revelation in the second half of last season, scoring eight times between the start of January and the end of April. 

Last Meeting

We only need to journey back as far as March to find the previous meeting between the two sides. It was at The Enclosed Ground, on a sunny Spring day, with Alfie Rogers scoring two inside 30 minutes.

Nathan Cooper added the third shortly after the break, before David Kawa hit back with a consolation 10 minutes from time. 

The reverse fixture, and our previous visit to Greatness Park, was absolutely freezing. The Hawks lost 2-1, though few were able to see it through the icicles forming over their faces. 

Whitehawk’s previous victory at Sevenoaks arrived on another cold day, this time in December 2021, when goals from Alex Malins, Peter Gregory and Billie Clark sealed a 3-0 win for Ross Standen’s side.

Stat: In 2015, the Hawks were one victory away from playing Everton at Goodison Park, but lost to Dagenham & Redbridge in extra time in the FA Cup Second Round.