Three Bridges vs Whitehawk

Recap

Three Bridges produced a strong all-round display as they confined Whitehawk to their first league defeat of the season in an entertaining match at Jubilee Field.

The hosts were evidently up for it from the off as James Young curled his side in front, before Ethan Cumming put it in his own net to bring the Hawks on level terms. The defender later made amends with an impressive long-range effort, but Joe Marchant levelled things up again just before the break. A second half penalty from Michael Howard-Bold proved the difference as the hosts ran out 3-2 winners on the night.

Del Tobias made two changes to the side that comfortably defeated Burgess Hill Town a week ago, as Adam Cranfield and Hugo Denis Le Seve made way for Joe Marchant and Marcus Chapman, the latter of which was making his debut for the Hawks against his old side.

The hosts, who were also unbeaten coming in to this match, made an impressively fast start as they showed an imposing level of intensity. Callum Chesworth almost broke the deadlock within three minutes, but his effort from just inside the box had too much height, as it sailed over the bar.

Within seconds, ‘The Bridges’ found themselves in the lead following a well-placed strike from James Young. The full-back drove forward along the left side of the pitch, before finding space to shoot, and he expertly curled his side in front, bending one into the top-right corner from just inside the box.

It was a positive opening period for Three Bridges, but their lead was extinguished five minutes later. Ollie Munt sent in an inviting cross towards the box and, in an attempt to hack the ball away from danger, Ethan Cumming inadvertently put it into his own net to bring the visitors on level terms.

That goal appeared to revitalise the Hawks, who came close to adding a second soon after. Josh Paine slipped Billie Clark in towards goal who, with the angle slightly against him, went for the near post, but Leo Anderson palmed it away brilliantly with his left hand to keep the score at 1-1.

The warning signs were there for the Hawks, and Jacob Campbell had to be vigilant to keep out Joseph Stone’s awkward effort, as the ball bounced just in front of the Whitehawk ‘keeper, but Campbell was able to tip it around the post for a corner. Howard-Bold then came within inches of giving his side the lead, but his left-footed attempt from an acute angle fizzed past the far post.

The hosts’ attacking threat was becoming a real issue for the Hawks’ defence, and The Bridges were rewarded just before the half-hour mark through Ethan Cumming. The defender went from hero to villain as he rocketed his side into the lead, firing an accurate strike towards goal from almost 40 yards that flew into the top-left corner. The perfect way to make amends for his earlier effort, it gave his side a deserved lead midway through the opening half.

As the half-time whistle started to loom, neither sides were letting up, as the energy levels remained high. Anderson again denied Clark, expertly palming his fierce drive away to safety, before the Hawks got back on level terms moments before the break. Dylan Little managed to send a cross in to the box on the right-hand side, and Marchant got ahead of his man to poke the ball into the side of the goal to send his side into the interval with the scores level.

HT: 2-2

The early exchanges in the second half were relatively cagey, with little chances of note. The contest was reasonably feisty, however, with both sides getting stuck in. Chesworth was booked for a late foul shortly after the restart, before Clark had the first real effort of the second period. A free-kick, around 25 yards from goal and fairly central, was sent narrowly over the bar by the number 7.

Minutes after, the hosts worked the ball attractively after Howard-Bold’s delicate flick presented Chesworth with a glorious opportunity after he was sent clean-through on goal, but his side-footed effort was always curling away from goal as the Hawks survived.

At the other end, Paine was also played through on goal following a lovely weighted pass from Demas Ramsis, but the forward’s effort was well-saved by the feet of Anderson, and the ball trickled away for a corner.

The visitors were enjoying a good spell in this second half, and almost took the lead through Marchant, but the full back could not quite secure his brace as he fired wide on the stretch following another inviting cross from Munt. Little then followed that up with another close effort, but his shot on the turn had too much height, as it flew over the crossbar from just outside the six-yard box.

Whitehawk were increasing the pressure, but it was the home side who dealt the final blow in the match. Chesworth, involved once more, got the better of the defence as he was able to drive inside the box, where he was eventually fouled by Sid O’Neill. Howard-Bold, who had looked sharp all game, stepped up to fire his side in the lead. Campbell got a touch, but it was not enough as The Bridges took the lead with just under twenty minutes remaining.

The visitors pressed for a late equaliser, and almost found it through Munt, but his looping cross destined for the corner was headed away on the line by Young. The Three Bridges’ defence stood firm, and they held out admirably to give the young Hawks their first league defeat of the season. The hosts, on the other hand, sit at the top of the table after extending their unbeaten streak to three matches as the league is temporarily paused due the impending lockdown. Hopefully it will not be too long a wait but, for now at least, the next scheduled match sees the Hawks travel to Lewes on the 10th December.

Hawks: Campbell, Chapman (Hickingbotham), Marchant, Little, McSwiney, Pinnock, Clark (Goss), S. O’Neill (Wright), Paine, Munt, Ramsis

Subs not used: Cranfield, Harrison