The Blues will kick off March with a home game, after only one tie at Summers Lane in the whole of February. Last weekend's match down at Hastings was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch, meaning that the Blues are still reminiscing of that 6-0 win at Bowers & Pitsea last time out. Our visitors are having a resurgent second half to the season and are breathing down the Blues' neck in the league table, with both looking to push into the top half before the final whistle is blown on 2024/25.
Our Opponents
Whitehawk are based on the outskirts of Brighton, and were founded back in 1945 as Whitehawk & Manor Farm Old Boys. Whitehawk were promoted from the Sussex County League in 2009/10 to reach the Isthmian South division. In their first season at that level, they finished in 3rd place, eventually losing out in the playoffs to Leatherhead on penalties. Not to be deterred, the Hawks won the Isthmian South division the following season (2011/12), and followed this up by being crowned champions of the Isthmian Premier League in 2012/13, their first season at that level. Three promotions in four seasons had seen the Hawks move from the Sussex County League to the National League South. The first season at step 2 was a challenge, but Whitehawk stayed up, finishing one place above the drop zone. 2014/15 saw the Hawks finish 4th, to mark the club's most successful season ever. In the playoffs, Whitehawk beat Basingstoke Town to set up a final at Boreham Wood which ended level after 90 minutes but Boreham Wood secured promotion to the top step of the non-league pyramid in added time. To prove this wasn't a one-off, the Hawks reached the playoffs again in 2015/16, this time losing out to Ebbsfleet United in the semi-finals. A 17th place finish followed in 16/17, before relegation in 2017/18, finishing 21st of 22.
Unfortunately for the Hawks, their descent was almost as swift as their climb up the ladder, as they were relegated from the Isthmian Premier League in their first season back at this level in 2018/19, finishing in the final relegation place, just two points behind Wingate & Finchley. Back in step 4, and with a few COVID-disrupted seasons behind them, 2022/23 saw Whitehawk earn promotion from the Isthmian South East division and return to the Isthmian Premier League for 2023/24 thanks to a playoff win over Hythe Town, promoted alongside Chatham Town.
Last season, Whitehawk had a solid season back in the Isthmian Premier League, with a 9th place finish. 65 points saw the Hawks 11 points off the playoffs and 26 points ahead of the relegation places. This season, Whitehawk have 40 points from their 32 matches so far (W11 D7 L14) which places them in 15th place of 22 teams. After a fairly good start to the season, Whitehawk were as high as 10th place in September, however a disastrous October and November saw the Hawks collect only two points from ten games, scoring just once, leaving them at the bottom of the table after our last meeting in November. While the fixture congestion over Christmas is a difficulty for many, Whitehawk rallied and have gone on an excellent run since the end of November; winning 8, drawing 4 and only losing 3 times, to push the Hawks out of the relegation zone and they are now sat 11 points clear.
Head to Head
Last season, both ties between Wingate & Finchley and Whitehawk were crackers. Back in August 2023, we travelled to Whitehawk and the game ended 3-3, the Blues squandering a three-goal lead and the Hawks completing the comeback in the 90th minute. At the Maurice Rebak Stadium in January, there were six goals again but this time five of them came for the Blues, as we ran out 5-1 winners thanks to a Ruben Carvalho hat-trick and goals for Anointed Chukwu and Elliot Long. This season, in November we bagged a 2-0 win down in East Sussex, after which the Blues went on a difficult winless run, while it wasn't long after this that the Hawks turned their fortunes around. Goals on that day came from Zack Newton and Ogo Obi.
Last Time Out
As mentioned, Whitehawk have been in great form over the past few months, and come into Saturday's game on the back of two wins; first a 2-0 win at high-flying Dover Athletic thanks to an early Harry Bridle goal and one in the dying minutes from Billie Clark. This was followed up by Whitehawk's biggest win of the season on Saturday, a 4-0 win at home to Canvey Island. Harry Bridle netted a hat-trick and Emmanuel Mensah scored the other.
Players To Watch
With ten goals in his last seven matches, Harry Bridle is a big part of the Hawks' recent success and improved league position. Bridle is an 18-year old striker who joined the club just before Christmas on a loan deal from League Two side Gillingham, and has extended that loan until the end of the season. Bridle has previously had loan spells at lower steps of the non-league ladder, but is thriving in his first spell at step 3!
On the wing for the Hawks, they have moved to re-sign Imran Kayani. Kayani is a Pakistan international footballer, with six national team caps. In his first spell at Whitehawk during 2023/24, he scored 14 goals in all competitions, including a hat-trick at Kingstonian last March which saw him win the supporters' player of the year award. Brief spells with Cray Wanderers and Westfield followed this season before his return to Whitehawk in December, another new face that has coincided with the Hawks' improved form!
For the Blues, we have also moved to re-sign a player, as Daniel Emovon makes a return to the club. Emovon is a left-sided defender who has featured 44 times for the Blues already. He joined on a dual-registration from Hemel Hempstead in 2021/22 and made 12 appearances at the end of that season as we finished 15th, before committing to the Blues for 2022/23 and making a further 32 appearances, a regular feature in the backline that season. Since then, he has had spells with Hitchin Town and Kettering Town, both at step 3 in the Southern League Premier Central. Welcome back Daniel!
One of our fantastic media volunteers, Harley, is completing a survey of our supporters for her Masters Degree - any fans who are willing to participate would be greatly appreciated - link HERE
Tickets can be purchased in advance via our website or on the gate on matchday. It is British Pie week next week so make sure you grab a Pukka Pie from our hot food stand, or one of our locally produced gourmet hot dogs if you would prefer!
Photos courtesy of Martin Addison.
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