Well, this is exciting…

For one final time this campaign Whitehawk play in front of their wonderful home supporters in a fixture one might label as absolutely massive. Hearts in mouths, hands over eyes, this nail-biting Easter Monday meeting with Haywards Heath Town is pivotal in defining the Hawks’ season.

The table shows Shaun Saunders’ Hawks two points above the relegation zone. Two points, two games to go. Faces buried in phone, frantically checking scores from a distant pitch, Monday’s affair is only about Whitehawk. Those in the stands will be loud, but here’s hoping they’ll have a reason to celebrate, too.

Last time out

Ugh, Three Bridges. The perennial thorn in the side of Whitehawk, it was an upsetting Friday for the strong travelling cohort who witnessed three headed goals before the break, and then were understandably glum for the remainder.

The alarm bells were ringing at the time of the first kick. 14 minutes in and they were well and truly rattled, much like the visiting defence, as Noel Leighton thundered the ball in off his head. But a few minutes later and it was all-square: Javaun Splatt recording his 18th goal of the season by delicately glancing Olly Munt’s cross into the far corner.

And then another cross came in, and another goal arrived. Tadley Bromage doming the ball beyond Nathan Stroomberg-Clarke moments before the half’s end, that was to be the settler as The Bridges record a league double over Whitehawk. Still, at least the weather was nice.

The opposition

Oh, who do we have here? That’ll be Haywards Heath. Yes, the one with the Waitrose. Go north as the compass directs you, and eventually you’ll find it. Perched in third and guaranteed a play-off run The Blues travel down to the coast having kept a clean-sheet in their previous four matches. Yikes.

Can’t hold out forever, though! As scary as their form and position may be Martin Dynan’s side have had their fair share of disappointing results over a long, winding, grinding campaign. Haven’t we all. As it goes, we both happen to know what it’s like to lose to Whitstable away.

Settling for a 0-0 with Corinthian on Saturday, maybe that extra days rest will aid the Hawks in their task. Haywards Heath parted company with Saunders in January after the current incumbent of our own technical area guided them into the playoff positions. Extra incentive here, too, perhaps…

Previous meetings

Hungover and groggy on a quite freezing New Years Day the army of Whitehawk bustled their way onto the next Thameslink service to experience a rather entertaining 0-0. There were chances here, chances there, but in the end it would be an afternoon that lauded those between the sticks. Evidently Stroomberg-Clarke had a rather boring New Years Eve.

It has been over two years since Monday’s opponents last visited the gorgeous ground that is enclosed. In an equally absorbing contest both sides settled for a point, this time to the tune of a 1-1 scoreline courtesy of a Trevor McCreadie spot-kick and a strike of the purest perfection from Connor Tighe.