Phoenix Sports 0-2 Whitehawk

A dominant second half performance saw Whitehawk run out 2-0 winners away at Phoenix Sports.

The home side started brightest with a freak deflection nearly letting in forward Lauris Chin, however the Hawks defence did just enough to clear. The Hawks then had their first chance of the game a few minutes later with a Connor Tighe corner being headed narrowly wide by Marvin Hamilton. Whitehawk thought they had the lead after 18 minutes when a Dave Martin corner from the left was cleared off the line with the Hawks players appealing in vain for a goal.  A minute later the Sports could have led as a well struck volley from Ashley Probets flew marginally over the bar.

Whitehawk had a goal ruled out for offside after 25 minutes when a through ball by John Paul Kissock played in Tighe, who comfortably slotted home. Another huge chance came nine minutes later after a great through ball from Tighe found Lucas Rodrigues who saw his strike cannon off the inside of the far post into the arms of a grateful Steve Phillips in the Sports goal.

The Hawks, with the wind this time behind them, had the first chance of the second half after three minutes with Duane Ofori-Acheampong firing wide from a tight angle. Tighe then saw a goal bound shot deflected behind for a corner.

Henry Muggeridge replace Tighe just after the hour, with Ofori-Acheampong playing down the middle and Dave Martin reverting to the left. The Hawks dominated possession for the rest of the half, without creating many chances. With ten minutes left Muggeridge shot narrowly wide from the edge of the box.

With five minute to go Lucas Rodrigues burst down the right, cut inside and was crudely upended by George Whitelock who was shown a yellow cared. From the free-kick the Hawks finally got the goal they deserved as Dave Martin’s left foot curler missed everyone in the box and found the net inside the far post.

In the 93^rd minute the three points were sealed after Lucas Rodrigues ran half the length of the pitch to cut the ball back to Ahmed Abdulla who scrambled the ball in on the near post to seal a deserved win.

Sports: Phillips, Andrews, Clark, Hopkins (c), Young, Probets, Whitelock, Bird, Dyer (Barry 61’), Aileru (Duah-Kessie 69’), Chin (Douglas 80’) – Subs Not Used: Andrews, Juma

Hawks: Broadbent, Gibbons, Banya, Kissock, Walsh, Hamilton, Rodrigues, Abdulla, Ofori-Acheampong, Tighe (Muggeridge 63’), Martin (c) – Subs Not Used: Unwin, Emberson, Christie, Torres

Goals: Martin 85’, Abdulla 90+3 (Whitehawk)

Yellow Cards: Whitelock (Phoenix Sports); Broadbent, Martin (Whitehawk)

Attendance: 128

Hawks Man of the Match: Fintan Walsh