Right then, back to it! No sooner after departing Kent on Saturday empty-handed following a 1-0 defeat are the Hawks motoring back along the southern junctions of the M25 to visit their easterly county neighbours once more on Tuesday for an intriguing matchup with Corinthian.

The mind still whizzing at their recent promotion into the Isthmian League for the first time in their history, Tuesday evening marks the maiden league meeting between the two sides whilst also providing an opportunity to Whitehawk for a swift response in the wake of their disappointing defeat.

Last time out

The Hawks succumbed to a 1-0 loss in an encounter dictated by Faversham Town. At the moment of Joe Denny’s 16th minute jabbed-strike high into netting, Ross Standen’s side failed to leave first gear for the remainder as Luke Watkins was seldom tested in the hosts’ goal.

Ollie Munt and Tegan Freeman were flung into the midfield at the expense of Henry Muggeridge and Charlie Lambert who dropped to the bench. Both would enter the field in the second half but it would count for nothing as Denny’s early finish settled the affair.

The defeat put a halt to the Hawks’ three-game unbeaten run that had hinted at a whiff of momentum in what has been a yo-yo start to their league campaign. But at a new ground and a new opponent there lies the possibility of restoring such impetus as they seek upon progressing further up the table.

The opposition

Tucked away in the idyllic Kentish countryside lies Corinthian F.C., a club once described as being ‘not too far from Gravesend’. Indeed, a six mile difference does justify that somewhat ambiguous depiction but, in truth, it is at Gay Dawn Farm in Hartley that this side thrives.

And that is no understatement. ‘The Hoops’, managed under Michael Golding, currently occupy the league’s 9th position; six points ahead of Whitehawk. Corinthian arrive into the fixture fresh from their weekend win over Ramsgate, where second half strikes from Jack Mahoney and Emmanuel Oloyede presented the hosts with a 2-1 victory having fallen behind moments prior to the interval.

Tuesday’s opponents have yielded four league wins from their opening nine matches, three of those appearing in their previous three fixtures. Imposing away victories at VCD Athletic and Lancing were succeeded by Saturday’s triumph over Ramsgate, where Mahoney possesses three of the nine goals recorded over this impressive stretch.

Mahoney has four for the season, whilst Oloyede continues to shine, too, with three to his name as The Hoops’ stuttered start has been replaced by a seemingly irrepressible force that sees the Kent club in the top half for the first time in this campaign.

Previous meetings

Well, this is awkward…

So yes, this is in fact the first league meeting between the two teams but fear not, for the clubs have met in the FA Vase twice before! A certain Andy Schofield has taken the liberty of providing us with a comprehensive study into these two encounters so waste no time in tapping, clicking or even thumping that glowing blue link in the sentence above to discover all there is to know.