15/07/03: Flying by, 'Flying High' And so the friendlies will begin. Apologies for the final few diary entries taking so long to appear here – I have busied myself this summer and the time has just flown by. So if they do seem a little short I am going from memory to almost 3 months ago. There won’t be a diary for 2003/04 as being that I will be in Leeds, it would be very bitty. However, Simon Lynch and Mark Cooper are starting up a new Hawk fanzine ‘Flying High’ and in that I shall be writing ‘Branchlines’ – a kind of “exiles’ view” effort. Once the fanzines are sold out, or superseded by a new issue, those items will appear on Squawk (if indeed they see fit to print them!). Indeed anything you’d like to contribute to Squawk in the way of photos would be greatly appreciated. Anything Hawk related is good but particularly pictures from away days and even things from prior to the merger – it’s all part of the glorious pre-history to our club, and we don’t mind acknowledging that. Please send stuff to Skif (IGT Squawk), 5 Nursery Road, Havant, Hants, PO9 3BG. 05/05/03: Reflections It’s weird to think that here we are comfortably in 8th as the season reaches it’s end, but it was only two weeks ago that we were still looking over our shoulders at the relegation pack. Nevertheless the Cup and Trophy runs and our first Conference scalp have made it a very special season for us Hawks and hopefully we will give it a fair stab next season as we have an opportunity to bypass the new Alliance altogether. Am sure there’ll be a few new faces to greet us when the friendlies start and probably more by the time the new season starts in earnest. Should be a very exciting time. 04/05/03: Gosport Borough Youth vs. Havant & Waterlooville Youth. Hants Youth League Cup Final @ Cams Alders, Fareham Town. 1-6. One more thing to do prior to the seasons end though and that’s yet another cup final for the youth squad, and a solid victory featuring some fine goals, the best of which was Glen Knights 30-yard effort. This win means they have achieved an unprecedented sweeping of the board of all the Hampshire Youth trophies, including the League. Put simply it is amazing what Dave Leworthy and Bobby De St Croix have achieved here in the first year of their partnership. With many of this seasons youth squad leaving the set-up due to being less youthful than they were, we now have a fresh backbone for our reserve team next season. With our move into more regular Saturday reserve team football via the Suburban League, this will be vital and should hopefully push them into aiming for a regular first team place eventually. 03/05/03: Havant & Waterlooville vs. Ilkeston Town. DML. 1-3. Fair play to Ilkeston for seeing out their season in style considering they’ve been virtually relegated since Christmas. Fair play to Warren too for yet another goal, which ups his final tally to 16 which considering the criticism he has got in the past, is no bad haul. However it was far from a convincing farewell from our troubadours after a topsy-turvy season, but we clapped them fervently anyhow for the great memories. Particularly Timmy Hambley who was playing his last game for us, and he came forward to take some extra special adulation and shake a few hands. I’m told he was also good value at the evenings presentation do, which I could not attend, launching into some kind of stand-up routine. We’ll miss you Tim, you’ve been a great player for us and a great character to have around WLP. So that’s it then. Until July. Not so long really. Now where’s that cricket fixture list. 01/05/03: Havant & Waterlooville vs. Bath City. DML. 3-1. A good solid victory most notable for Lewis Fennemore’s first senior goal, taken with an air of arrogance. Aside from this another goal from Warren and one which has been chalked up to Blakey despite taking a dog-leg deflection off a defender. 29/04/03: Havant & Waterlooville vs. Folkestone Invicta. DML. 6-2. In the 3-3 all draw at Cheriton Road back in December, Super Jim gave us a hat-trick and in this destruction of a team down and out after a very disappointing season, he gave us four more. Folkestone’s defence obviously agrees with him and this virtually one man show should tie up the DMP golden boot for our man, after being thereabouts in 2 of the previous 3 seasons. Greatly deserved, especially when you consider his 100+ Hawk goals in his 4 seasons at WLP. A hugely popular figure who always figures highly in the supporters player of the year voting, lets hope he can keep this up for a few more seasons yet. I was also gald that today saw the end of my text updating for our absentee supporters – 23 goals in the three games for which I was on duty. I now have thumb paralysis! 26/04/03: Cambridge City vs. Havant & Waterlooville. DML. 4-5. So our last away day for the season and like last season, it took us to Cambridge. Another new beanoite made the trip in the form of 18(ish) year old Adrian, but probably didn’t get to experience the full beano experience due to a distinct tiredness on the part of the pubbing mob. Call it a long old season, or perhaps it was just the fact that it was Cambridge AGAIN for the final away game, and last year had been SOOOOO class that it would have been difficult to top it. However, fantastic beano last year – we lost 2-1, but on a pleasant day out this year, we win by the odd goal in 9 in a right old mentalist of a game. It’s not often you find yourself 4-1 up away from home at half time but so it was and Warren Haughton was having the game of his life involved in every goal and scoring one himself (and indeed adding his second in the 62nd minute to make it 5-1). However 2 minutes after that Cambridge scored again to make it 5-2 – no problem you might think and indeed at 5-3 when the third comes in the 90th minute. However, a couple of heartbeats after the third, Cambridge attacked again with Danny Bloomfield receiving the ball in a dramatically offside position, running on and throwing himself into youth team keeper Luc Curling, who was sent off by the referee. With three subs used, Super Jim took on the responsibility despite a hand injury, and it was clear to see why he has pursued a career as a menace to goalkeepers than part of their union. The ref blew the final whistle, instantly as the ball hit the back of the net, so he could perhaps have shown a little leniancy to Luc as he always knew Cambridge would lose, whether the penalty went in or not. Luc’s got broad shoulders though so I’m sure he’ll put it behind him. A few beers in the clubhouse during which Woody revealed to Ketchup, in quite a shocking move, that he was retiring as of NOW and wouldn’t be back. A big shame for one of the Hawks biggest heros of our first 5 years to go out in this way, but that’s his choice I guess. He will be missed. 23/04/03: Tamworth vs. Havant & Waterlooville. DML. 3-3. Due to work, finances and god knows what else at this hectic stage of the season, only 4 of us were able to make the journey. We were rewarded with a fascinating contest that saw us take the lead and then have 3 put past us by a younger Tamworth side than had faced us twice earlier in the month. However come the 80th minute during a period of us pushing on, the ball bounced just outside the area and Champs screamed for Bobby to get out of the way. Considering Neil’s goal-scoring record (only 1 or 2 previously in 3 years at WLP) we fully expected to watch it sail into the next county. However, when the ball bent around their keeper, like a Roberto Carlos free kick, and into the bottom-corner, our assembled throng, the players and even ‘Dead Shot’ Champion himself were too busy picking our jaws up off the floor to celebrate fully. We continued to come forward and then, with virtually the last kick, Blakey attempted a similarly audacious shot from distance that hit one post, smacked the other and almost made it’s way back for some more upright action before finally settling in the net. Good job too, as all the players from both sides just stopped moving to gawp at it. Daishy’s celebrations in front of the Tamuff Shed that has barracked him solidly for 4 seasons were also quite amusing, although our Staffordshire friends were less than impressed. Needless to say, this was the exciting finish we hadn’t expected around 65 minutes, when keeping the score down was our only wish, and made the long journey home a whole lot more jovial. Good luck to Tamworth in the Conference – it’s been emotional. 21/04/03: Dover Athletic vs. Havant & Waterlooville. DML. 0-0. Sadly The Non-League Legend picked up a knock so he couldn’t try to repeat his ace brace on Easter Monday at Dover’s Crabble Ground, where he remains infinitely popular from his spell there in the mid-90’s. All their supporters were very keen to remind us how much they’d paid for him (£50,000) at the time and how great he’d been for them. On the field, we fielded a very young back 4 with Messers Ford, Masson and Turner keeping the Dover attack at bay, whilst also giving a debut to youth team keeper Luc Curling, due to Aaron’s absence and Crazy Steve May’s horrible knee injury in a recent reserve game. Despite not commanding the no. 1 jersey even in the yoof side, Luc gave an assured performance beyond his 17 years of which he can be justly proud, and is another shining example of what has been achieved by Dave Leworthy and club singer Bobby De St Croix. 19/04/03: Havant & Waterlooville vs. Tiverton Town. DML. 2-1. It was looking as bleak as the second half at Hinckley, if not more so, at half time against a strong Tiverton side. In fairness we’d been over-run but only faced a 1-0 deficit at half time. This continued well into the second half, as we continued to look a forlorn side still mourning our Trophy exit. However, despite calls from the terraces for Warren Haughton to come off the bench to replace a tired looking Dave Leworthy, our life-begins-at-40 Peter Pan hero popped up to ransack the Tiverton onion twice in a minute. Talk about exhilarating. Seems the old fella’s trying to earn himself another season of IGT Squawk sock sponsorship. We shall see… 15/04/03: Hinckley United vs. Havant & Waterlooville. DML. 2-1. A while back when we got fixed up to go to Hinckley in mid-April, I asked simply for a balmy night, and I was rewarded with just that, enabling my legs to come out of hibernation in a less-than-natty pair of shorts. Perhaps I should have asked for a snowstorm and hypothermia in exchange for 3 points, as aside from Alec Masson's header from about 15 feet in the air, there was little else to get the small travelling cast of Hawks excited. A bit limp and with only 5 points between us and the relegation zone, the alarm bells need to ring considering the strength of opposition in our next 3 games. Even though you'd like to think we would beat Folkestone and Ilkeston in the last week at home (and that would probably be enough), I'd prefer it if we didn't have to wait until May 3rd to assure ourselves of a 5th Premier Division season. 13/04/03: RS Basingstoke Youth vs. Havant & Waterlooville Youth. HYL. 3-6. Today the Hawk youth squad tied up the Hampshire Youth League with a high-spirited (i.e. there was a whole lotta rucking goin’ on) 6-3 victory at RS Basingstoke’s ramshackle ground (Dan Turner ending up with a badly gashed leg courtesy a foreign object left on the ground). As I write their only defeat this season has come in the FA Youth Cup to a strong Tonbridge Angels side, have only dropped 2 points in the Hampshire Youth League and currently hold the Hants Youth and Floodlit Cups. Next Sunday they play away at Christchurch to seal a place in the final of their League Cup. Bobby De St Croix and Dave Leworthy have shaped an excellent side, and long may success continue as further young players come into the set-up, progressing to the reserves or even emulating Messers Turner, Fennemore and Craig Leworthy by knocking on the door of the first team. It can only bode well for our clubs future. 12/04/03: Havant & Waterlooville vs. Tamworth. FATSF2. 1-1 (aet, 1-2 agg.) So there it is, we went on a journey that took us to Billericay, Sutton, Colwyn Bay, Forest Green and Tamworth, an adventure that no-one would have thought to be on the cards at the start of the season. As it goes, only one step from a national final, we didn’t have enough. Yet all we could ask of the players is they want it as much as we supporters, and with the dogged determination shown against a very good Tamworth side who also have the DML virtually sewn up, they certainly proved that. Well done lads, I think the Hawk flag is flying slightly higher this week, even despite our collective disappointment, you have done us proud. All we can do now is take it on the chin and wish Tamworth the very best for their short trip to Villa. I genuinely hope they do the DML proud at the final. Whatever some may think of their small element of mindless idiots, they generally have an excellent, committed support, which is to be admired. Of course, we now must get back into a league mindset, as we have now entered the final chapter of season ‘02/’03. We must pull out all the stops to achieve as high a place as possible so as to have a decent grounding for next season when I fully expect we’ll want to be challenging again. 08/04/03: Havant & Waterlooville vs. Dover Athletic. DML. 1-1. It was nice to see, that between the two Trophy ties, we put out a fairly decent strength side against Dover Athletic, whilst also giving Wes Chalmers and Dan Turner another chance to shine, which they both did. For a great deal of the match, we battered Dover, but it looked like nothing would come, after they had taken the lead towards the end of the first half. With 15 minutes to go though, our pressure finally told and the ball fell to 17 year old Mr Turner for him to thwack it into the roof of the net. Coming just 2 days after the youth teams’ excellent cup win, I expect Dan will still be on Cloud 9 even now! With a little bit of steel and a glint of arrogance about him, he looks like he will quite easily make the transition from the youth to first team squads. The best thing being, it looks like he won’t be the only one! 06/04/03: Havant & Waterlooville Youth vs. Horndean Youth. Hants Youth Cup Final @ Gang Warily, Blackfield & Langley. 2-1. 10am on a Sunday morning and I find myself at Blackfield and Langley's tidy little ground, but all worth it as our youth team won another Trophy, the Hants Youth Cup, to add to their previous Floodlit Cup victory over Winchester City. In fairness, opponents Horndean, as in the clash at Five Heads Park a fortnight ago, were a tough side to break down and after equalising Will Mukuru’s first half effort, came close to winning in the 89th minute but an amazing save from Ryan White. It was especially cruel for their goalkeeper, who had been magnificent all game, saving a very good Craig Leworthy penalty amongst other great stops, that we should get a winner in the 8th minute of injury time, when it wasn’t exactly clear where that time had come from. After a scramble the ball dropped to Glen Knight, a fierce little dogger who had controlled the midfield for the most part, and he curled it in off the post to scenes of wild abandon. All bodes well for the future of the club, hopefully some of these lads will be blooded further through additional reserve team action next season. 05/04/03: Tamworth vs. Havant & Waterlooville. FATSF1. 1-0. Certainly a benefit travelling with the chairman's son. Richie Pope, one of the 39 happy Hawks aboard the Varney express, recieved news from his Dad that the team coach had been hampered by broken traffic signals near Cherwell Valley services. To be forewarned is to be forearmed and we took a scenic Oxfordshire detour taking in the expansive Williams F1 HQ before a brief stop to feed up our driver on fish n' chips. Despite this minor setback we arrived safely in Tamworth at 2pm allowing for a quick pint in the Workies round the corner. Unsure of our route to said bar, Jase Jarrett, editor of Tamworth 'zine 'Four Bleats to the Baah!'was kind enough to take time out to walk us to the door and make sure we could get in with oppo colours n'all. In all we apparently mustered 116 and took our place at the Meadow Street End, chucking out as many songs as possible in the blistering sunshine, competing with the 2000 Tamuffians who lined the other 3 sides. The pitch was a nightmare and with a 4-5-1 formation, it was clear we hadn't come to take a lead back to WLP. In an unattractive game, we let it only the 1 goal and Bobby Howe saw a dipping shot excellently saved. Some good defending on both sides with Alec Masson and Christian Hanson excelling in a centre of defence that hasn't seen so much youth since the dawning of the club. Was confusing in the second half watching us defend and having to get used to the fact that if the ref pointed a decision in our direction, this was not a thing to celebrate. A pretty good day out all told but it feels weird travelling a 7 hour round trip to see something through only to it's half way point. FAO Messers Blake, Chalmers, Champion, Daish, Davis, Fennemore, Ferrett, Ford, Gale, Hall, Hambley, Hanson, Haughton, Howe, Jenkins, Kerr, Leworthy (C & D), Masson, May, Poate, Taylor, Turner and Wood* – you have all played your part in getting us this far and we BELIEVE in you. Let’s do this thing! * not forgetting the departed Luke Middleton, and also Shaun Hale, currently serving in Iraq. Hope all is well and that we'll see you soon mate. 01/04/03: Hastings United vs. Havant & Waterlooville. DML. 1-1. Bit better, with Blake’s narrow angle goal giving us the lead in the 36th minute, before Hastings equalised with a penalty in the 37th. Come the second half we pounded their goal but couldn’t find a way in, with overhead goal-line clearances occurring amongst the melee. This evening’s bright spots were Shaun Gale’s free kicks, one of which brought a quality save from the Hastings keeper, as well as an excellent performance on the right from James Ford starting his first game in god knows how long. 29/03/03: Care In The Community and other worries. Bit worrying today talking to Sandy Peters, as we only appear to have sold about 70 tickets for next Saturdays Trophy semi-final away at Tamworth, and you can't really see the club being bombarded with requests during the week. Trout's comments on the message board (here) seem to sum up the problem - distance, playing a team we already know quite well, a game we might well lose and the fact that as yet the communities in Havant and Waterlooville don't really come out of the woodwork when we have big games, as you might expect. It's all Pompey round these parts, and why shouldn't it be - they are flying high and peoplen like to see a team winning. Both Havant and Waterlooville suffer from not having a real community identity outside of Portsmouth despite being geographically and politically outside it's boundaries. This might seem an idle moan when you consider that most non-league teams in London have to cope with 12 professional near-ish neighbours including 6 in the Premier League. However for the Dr Martens side of things we have fairly smallish crowds - perhaps getting into Alliance South will see us rocket up the attendance league without doing much, but this is only gives us bragging rights. Although I'd like to think we wouldn't use them - bragging about crowds is so "my Dad's bigger than your Dad" playground bollocks. It's no secret that all non-league clubs want more punters and more money through the gate, especially when you have an ambitious board of directors. In this respect, we are lucky, we have had the backing to do WLP up to Conference standard and get in players of the calibre of Bobby, Woody, Daishy, Gareth - well the list goes on and on. However, this plus our FA Cup runs and this years FA Trophy epic do little to stir the imagination of the public in Havant, Leigh Park and Waterlooville. It's a shame but I suppose we just have to deal with it, and not let it get in the way of acknowledging the passionate support we do get. It's not as if we haven't been treated very well by the local press in terms of column inches and I expect the next couple of weeks will feature loads of FA Trophy hype. Hopefully that will convince a few to come out for the home leg. Desperate shame that this clashes with Pompey's only Saturday home game between now and the end of the season though. Might not make a big difference, but a difference nonetheless and every penny counts. 29/03/03: Crawley Town vs. Havant & Waterlooville. DML. 2-1. Pretty much same as Tuesday. + 1 goal - 1 sending off. 25/03/03: Havant & Waterlooville vs. Cambridge City. DML. 0-2. Usually a home banker for us, but we were put under immense pressure by Neil Davis’ 8th minute sending off and Cambridge’s fortunate opener 3 minutes later. After that though we commanded the half with our 10 men, but Cambridge were organised and effective and eventually killed us off just before the end. One plus point of the game were the full debuts for youth team starlets Mr. Fennemore and Dan Turner, the latter looking particularly cool and assured replacing Christian Hanson in the back four. It’s a shame we will lose Neil now for 3 games, especially as injuries are once again rife, and there seems to be disagreement at whether or not he spat at the player or at the ground. For my money, it’s a matter for his conscience, and we’ve just got to get on with it. 23/03/03: Horndean Youth vs. Havant & Waterlooville Youth. HYL. 0-3. Conclusive proof that following the Hawks is not good for your mental health #1: Today I found myself going to watch our youth team at Horndean's Five Heads Park, keen as I am on our yoof's exploits, and it being a new ground to visit. Perfectly reasonable you might think on a sunny Sunday afternoon. Except that I walked there. From Bedhampton. A 13 mile round trip. A half-marathon no less. Suppose it's good for the physical health, but I'm sure I will be considered quite quite mad. 22/03/03: Havant & Waterlooville vs. Worcester City. DML. 2-1. We battled hard and made yet another side sitting third, as I believe Chippenham were until we played them, look fairly ordinary, on the day at least. Bobby Howe met a probing cross from Brett Poate, midway through the first half, at the far post and, initially, I had it down as a case of Thrupenny-bit-‘ead, but actually was a top header angled beyond the keeper’s reach as he ran towards our Sexy Fitba’ hero. Indeed it was Bob who almost scored our second, taking cocky young ‘un Lewis Fennemore’s excellent pass before slotting it toward the gaping net. However with a defender sprinting back with a 25/75 chance of a clearance, Jim slid in to make sure of it. Another 3 points sorted, just what we need before we dip out of league action for those two April Saturdays. 18/03/03: Havant & Waterlooville vs. Bashley. HSCSF2. 1-2 (1-4 agg.) The scalpers themselves are scalped. Maybe our heads were filled with thoughts of semi-finals and potential trips to Villa Park, but the better team won over the two legs and were justly applauded from the pitch from all sides of the ground. A better performance than at Bashley for sure, but another 4-5-1 to start with, when there was a 2 goal deficit to chase. Oddness. As we have always had a pretty good relationship with Bashley I might head up to St. Marys for the final anyhow. Likely to be heavily outnumbered if Aldershot make it through, I'm sure they'll welcome a few extra bodies. 17/03/03: FA Trophy Semi Final Draw Tamuff then. Not probably the draw of choice but if we're going to have to beat them, maybe it's best to do it before being heavily outnumbered for support at Villa Park. They lead our league and only a HUGE collapse will keep them out of the Conference. They'll certainly be eyeing a league/cup double. We on the other hand have had a topsy turvey season. However, we know they're good so we know what we have to do. 180 minutes worth of death or glory. Iron balls time. Amongst it let’s get. WE BELIEVE! 15/03/03: Forest Green Rovers vs. Havant & Waterlooville. FATQF. 1-2. The biggest game thus far in our albeit short history. FA Trophy Quarter Final. Away to an in-form Conference side, in the form of Forest Green Rovers. They don’t come much tougher, really. By half-time, we found ourselves 1-0 down and with FGR’s touch of extra fitness telling in midfield (despite our decision to play safe with a 4-5-1 formation) and an air of despondency wafted around the travelling gaggle of Hawksters. However, after some choice half-time words, no doubt, we started the second half with renewed vigour, but still the Hawkmob remained fairly quiet by it’s own standards. That was until Jim wafted a lob several light years into the stratosphere and as it came down, in super-slow-mo as I recall, it bounced off the bar and onto the line before Woody steamed in to head it home. 1-1 and the terraces were alive again with dreams of an upset. It was 14 minutes later that true delirium ensued as Tim ran behind the FGR defence and latched onto a long clearance from Aaron, striking it firmly with his wrong foot past a despairing Steve Perrin to put us into the lead. With 15 minutes to go, the last 10 of which we had to face without a tunnelled Woody, there was no room for getting carried away. It was all hands to the pump and, like the previous Tuesday, our remaining 10 men showed character and determination to fend off what they threw at us. As the final whistle blew, the party could really begin, the players came to our end to get their ‘giantkillers’ photocall sorted. ‘We are the Hawks’ they chanted. Indeed they are, and they did us proud. A Conference scalp has been a long time in coming, and to do it away from home is phenomenal. 11/03/03: Havant & Waterlooville vs. Newport County. DML. 1-0. Couple of wins on the trot and everything seems a little better. Following our last gasp 2-1 win at Chelmsford City, we hosted Newport County at WLP, as they looked to end their substantial goal drought. The pitch, considering the state we had left it in after the 3-all with Grantham as well as the smattering of rain since, didn’t look all that bad. A fairly lacklustre first half was enlivened only by two near misses from Brett Poate set-piece shots. As Chris pointed out on the terraces, it’s nice now, with Brett back on board, that when we get a free-kick on the edge of the box, we can feel reasonably confident of scoring rather than readying the ball-boys for a trip into the car park. Indeed, five minutes into the second half, we had a contentious one awarded a few yards from the by-line, which Brett squeezed above the wall and Pat Mountain’s despairing dive and just underneath the bar. Newport County had not been happy about the linesman’s decision to signal the kick and Peter ‘Orson’ Nicholas’ show of disgust won him the star prize of a seat in the stand. Silhouetted by the floodlights and looking for all the world like the opening credits of ‘Alfred Hitchcock Presents…’, he waddled across the middle of the pitch, and it became quite clear that a Welsh pie famine might well be imminent. After this point the game became quite heated with Supes fighting a running battle with Jason Perry, who even Newport fans acknowledge as a troglodyte thug. Perry tried his best to wind Jim up and at one point we we’re certainly worried that he might succeed in getting Jim sent off. In the end we didn’t need to worry about Jim being tunnelled as Wes Chalmers took care of that for us. On for only 7 minutes of his league debut, he went in for a challenge on a sliding Pat Mountain and caught him. To my mind it was quite similar to Wayne Rooney’s recent sending off as youthful exuberance threw him into a full-blooded challenge. That said, a straight red might have been a trifle harsh, and he was clearly upset. Don't think the over-the-top reaction of the Newport players helped matters and probably helped turn a yellow into red, and frankly there was no need to gob at the lad. Yet the spittle-friendly 'Port player suffered no consequence. It's not '77 fella, nor is it Subway Sect at the 100 Club, so keep your grollies to yourself. Nonetheless, Newport did little to make the most of the one-man advantage and that man Perry soon got frustrated with his inability to wind up Supes sufficiently and lashed out earning himself a well-deserved second yellow. He’s protested his innocence in the Welsh press since, but it would appear even Newport fans are tiring of his Neanderthal approach to the beautiful game. Anyway, another 3 points in the bin, and up 5 spots to 10th. Nice to get a decent safety cushion in the league prior to our big week of cup action. 08/03/03: Chelmsford City vs. Havant & Waterlooville. DML. 1-2. Those buggers really make us go through the emotional wringer sometimes. However, like last Saturday, our afternoon was capped with a burst of exultation courtesy the games last meaningful kick. The New Lodge, Billericay, has become quite a pleasant place for us to go, what with a 3-0 win over Chelmsford last season plus our extra-time defeat of their landlords in the FA Trophy back in December. After Tuesday’s debacle at Bashley, our lads came straight out of the blocks with renewed vigour and Woody cracked in an awesome 30-yard strike after only 6 minutes. After that though and a Chelmsford equaliser, the game deteriorated and if any team looked likely to get all 3 points, it was the home side, with their sustained second half pressure. However, going into the last minute and with a point not really being enough considering our close proximity to the relegation zone, Dean Blake’s shot forced a top save from the young Chelmsford keeper deputising for our old boy Paul Nicholls. The breathtaking tumult, resulting from an incisive corner, and involving several goal line clearances, ended when Shaun Gale, never a prolific goalscorer in his distinguished career, pushed it between legs to win it with mere seconds to go. A touch more breathing space between the relegation zone and ourselves now – 5 points, and we still have our games in hand on many of those around us. 04/03/03: Bashley vs. Havant & Waterlooville. HSCSF1. 2-0. Not good. 90 minutes to go. 01/03/03: Havant & Waterlooville vs. Grantham Town. DML. 3-3. You could hardly call today’s game a classic example of football as it should be played, but nonetheless it was far from unexciting. Yesterday’s traditional Friday downpour saturated WLP but the ref passed it fit at 2pm despite zero bounce in some areas of the pitch. Had we been playing someone from closer to home, the game would have likely been called off. However, with all remaining Tuesdays now filled with catch-up fixtures, to add another to the pile, with safety far from certain, would have presented as many problems as the heavy going on the turf. Considering the last time we played water-polo here at HQ, Folkestone hammered us 4-1, it had all the makings of game best watched through the fingers or a pinhole in a piece of card. Perversely, it made for great entertainment, as both sides managed to share 4 goals by the half-hour mark courtesy some astute finishing from Wozza and Supes. Despite the torrential downpours in the second half, which created small lakes all over the park, no complaints were heard about the decision to play on. Indeed, Grantham could thank the standing water for holding up the ball better than their forward-line as Nigel Hemstock’s ludicrous/genius first touch stopped dead in the puddle allowing him to catch up and whack it into the top corner. Facing a 3-2 deficit against a relegation rival with only 5 minutes to spare was not in the script, thankfully Brett Poate’s incisive pass with seconds remaining found Bobby Howe charging in to nod it in at the near post. In the same movement Sexy Football also managed to swerve and avoid the oncoming post landing into a gaggle of delighted supporters. Meanwhile, Tim Hambley used the cover of our jubilation to pelt our Reg Varney with some genuine, unlimited edition, WLP pitch mud, and EBay are said to be welcoming bids from rabid Hawk completists for Reg’s unwashed coat. As the final whistle sounded seconds later, fists were raised aloft, noses unclipped and Verucca socks removed, delighted at rescuing something from a game, we probably should have won, given a flat surface. 24/02/03: FA Trophy Quarter Final draw. I’m surprisingly nervous and shaky as we approach 11am. Perhaps in the knowledge that, depending on the tie, I may not be able to attend possibly our biggest match thus far – perhaps it’s an excitement at the prospect of getting a winnable tie. I’m praying, in my own secular way, for a home tie but constant refreshing of the Non-League Paper’s home page finally shoots Forest Green Rovers vs. Havant & Waterlooville like a strobe light into my retinas. My first thought is, perhaps worryingly, that despite their home advantage, their recent run of excellent form and our near-but-yet-so-far results in previous ties against Conference opposition, that we CAN win it. Also, despite attendance at a Portsmouth gig in the evening, this draw may just allow me to get back in time, as long as I can find someone, who isn’t planning to make a day of it, to give me a lift. A plea goes out on the messageboard, and Steve Anscombe is able to rescue me. Cheers Steve! 22/02/03: Havant & Waterlooville vs. Hayes. FAT5. 3-0. Being a relative new boy, attending my first game in April 1999, I was not present for the titanic FA Cup battle with Hayes in 1998. Then, 2 levels separated the two clubs in the pyramid, while only a penalty shoot-out could do so on the pitch after 2 keenly fought games. Since our promotion to the Premier and Hayes demotion from Conference to Ryman, it was a more level playing field before the whistle, but who knew what might happen after that. In the end, quite a comfortable 3-0 victory, although worryingly we conspired to miss yet another penalty. Yet, for the second time this season, Dean Blake was on hand to slot away the rebound. Thank goodness for his lightning reactions. Quarterfinals here we come! 18/02/03: Havant & Waterlooville vs. Folkestone Invicta. DML. P-P. Our turn to be the villains. I arrive at WLP to find the floodlights on but the car park all but empty. As I turn the corner, the main gate is wide open and supporters are jumping up and down on the pitch. Turns out the ref has called it off half an hour prior to kick-off due to a 2 foot square strip of ice near the Car Park End goal mouth, and those jumping are establishing the state of the problem with their own imaginary studs. With the weather biting and getting colder it was, arguably, the wisest thing to do. I doubt we’d want Jim to break his leg going for goal. A real pig then for the travelling Folkestone fans, who showed up at WLP despite their team’s seeming inevitable relegation and a 6-0 away defeat to Worcester only 3 days before. In as much as every fan accepts that you can never guarantee away victory to justify your petrol money, a fruitless trip is surely better than a pointless one. 15/02/03: Havant & Waterlooville vs. Chippenham Town. DML. 1-0. At Hardenhuish Park back in September, we had edged Chippenham in the first half, thanks to loan-star Brett Poate’s quality 25 yard strike, before they took us apart quite easily in the second period. The return fixture last Saturday saw the return of that man Poate, after his release from Saints, and it was certainly good to see him again, but if this was an omen, of what sort could it be? As he came off the bench to take up his left back berth, he looked sharp and useful and after Neil Davis was sent off at 0-0, with about 25 still to play, he’d certainly need to be at his best. We reckoned on the kitchen sink coming at us and, at times, it did. We didn’t reckon on how well we’d play with 10 men against a team unbeaten in 5 long old months, especially with our influential trio of Aaron, Bobby and Gareth all missing. We also didn’t reckon on Brett striding purposefully towards a free kick given just outside the box, then firmly tipping it over the wall and into the back of the net. Quality. One thing we are starting to reckon on is the Crazy World of Steve May producing great save after great save when he is called upon, and our hero more than deserved the man of the match honours. 10/02/03: Hastings United vs. Havant & Waterlooville. DML. P-P. Couldn’t make this one due to perilous finances. As I took a stroll at about 6:45, I received a text saying simply. ‘Game Off. Bastards.’ Those that had gone had reached Pilot Field only for the referee to decide it was too wet. I felt no smugness in my decision not to go as this added one more fixture to the end of season pile-up we seem to always suffer when we have a decent cup run. Thanks to this, we might be well advised to keep our Thursdays free til May 3rd. So queuing at the Kings Theatre for tickets for Showaddywaddy’s April 10th show (yes, a Thursday), may have to wait. Besides, if they want to cover our terrace anthem on stage, why should we have to pay for the privilege of seeing them do it? However, they’re very welcome to sport their rainbow of tight-fitting Ted outfits and pretend it’s still the 50’s down at the Bartons End any time they fancy. 01/02/03: Colwyn Bay vs. Havant & Waterlooville. FAT4. 0-2. Before this season, you’d be forgiven for not knowing the FA Trophy had a 5th round, as we’ve never really got going in the competition before. However, now we are here, it feels good. To get here we’ve battled our way to an extra-time replay victory at Billericay before despatching, with relative ease, a Sutton side housed near the pinnacle of the Ryman league. The draw then paired us, for the first time in our history, with a Unibond league outfit, in the form of Colwyn Bay, which was excellent news for me, considering the fact that I’m very proud of my Welsh roots and always enjoy visiting the place. It's sounds strange, but given it was new territory for us in terms of geography and the Trophy, I would genuinly rather be in Colwyn than Milan. We set off at 6:30, and made very good time, arriving at 11:45 at the hotel, even allowing for a stop off at a greasy spoon. Of course, I know as soon as I set foot in Cymru that comments regarding sheep or the apparent consonant-heaviness of the language will soon spill forth. We won’t let the fact that, in Welsh, there are actually more vowels than in English get in the way of a really old joke. The Welsh accent, however, is far outweighed by traces of Scouse in the Colwyn area, which defies all expectations, but the people are as friendly as you would expect of any small Welsh town. A few Soul Crew thugs should not be accepted as the epitome of a nation’s outlook, I’d suggest. After the game, we popped into town for a curry, as you might expect, before heading back to the hotel for a nightcap and 'The Premiership'. A good time was had by all, especially as we came away with a very comfy 2-0 win with 2 goals from Tim Hambley sealing it before half time. I could get used to these long trips, even if my wallet couldn’t (considering the £60 deposit I lost on an unused Milan hotel room). 31/01/03: Stansted Airport Faced with heavy snowfall this morning across the Eastern side of England, we decided to nonetheless get up to Stansted as the Ryanair website suggested our flight had survived. Wedged into one of the few uncancelled Stansted Express services, it was only as we ached slowly through the drifts that I considered the possibility of not being able to get to Italy. As it was my ladyfriend's birthday trip, this would be devastating, but the sensual Siren song of Colwyn was pulling my mind elsewhere. A bad person, I most certainly be. After about an hour we finally heard the news that Flight 87JKLX to Bergamo Airport wasn't going anywhere. Within seconds, and based on Holly's prior decision to make the most of Friday, if the flight was cancelled, but then to travel home, I was considering my options. Rather than mope about my romantic plans being dashed, I chased the silver lining and thankfully Shaun was able to sort me out both a car seat and a hotel room. As we took our seats in the matinee performance of 'Chicago' at the Adelphi Theatre, I felt that we HAD made the most of a trying day and, on top of that, I was going to Colwyn! Get in! 30/01/03: London Headed straight for London for an overnight stay prior to trip to airport for trip to Milano. It should be good but I face it with a heavy heart. Am desperate to be there on Saturday for our Trophy game. Trust me not to check the Trophy dates! :-( 14/12/02: Havant & Waterlooville vs. Moor Green. DML. 3-3. Despite not hittings the heights of the last month or two, what a spectacle! Despite twice giving an equally resurgent Moor Green a two-goal lead, a bullet header from Christian Hanson, a looping header from Supes, and Luke Middleton getting amongst a sea of legs to nudge the ball home with his forehead despite lying prostrate in the 6 yard box. Scrappy finish, when a series of goal line clearances looked to have thwarted us, but when it comes to memorable goals at the end of the season, that one will be right up there – as will the carnage behind the goal as a supporter/player pile-up ensued! Our Luke, who seems very keen to grab his first team opportunity by the scruff of the neck, certainly looked quite pleased despite being jumped on from all sides. 10/12/02: Lymington Town vs. Havant & Waterlooville. HSC3R. 1-4. Our squad XI continues to make progress in the Hampshire Senior Cup. On a bitterly cold Tuesday evening, a decent mob made their way to Lymington Town’s ground. Always a pleasure to see Dave Leworthy get a run out, the IGT Squawk-sponsored socks covering the feet that hit a 20 yard screamer, as well as a quality lob to take the game away from a hard-working Lymington side. Nice to finally get a return, of sorts, on my pre-season investment. Combined with Leworthy the Younger’s well taken effort and Neil Davis’ 25-yard strike. It was £2.50 (including programme) well spent I reckons! 30/11/02 - 07/12/02: Havant & Waterlooville vs. Billericay Town. FAT2R. 1-1. Billericay Town vs. Havant & Waterlooville. FAT2RR. 2-1. Ilkeston Town vs. Havant & Waterlooville. DML. 1-5. So another productive week! Business as usual. All reports of the demise of the Hawk win factory have been greatly exaggerated! Firstly, Billericay returned with, to their credit, an almost identical amount of supporters as had bustled through out turnstiles to watch their FA Cup defeat a mere month beforehand. As expected, this game was an entirely different proposition and a 1-1 draw was about a fair result, Tim Hambley larruping it in to equalise in the second half. So then, for those luck enough to be able to take time off work at such short notice, it was off to Essex on the Tuesday night to finish it. The Hawk turnout crept into double figures but would losing home advantage be our downfall. After Billericay had taken a 26th minute lead, and Tim Hambley had crashed a spot-kick against the bar, it looked as though it might very well be. However the penalty had arisen thanks to Chris Moore ‘arming’ Tim’s goal bound shot over the bar and, by the letter of the law, he was tunnelled. So now home advantage met a one-man advantage and, eventually, we made ours count with Supes hitting the target in the last minute of the 1st half and then almost an hour later during the first period of extra time. A solid, quality performance against a very good side who, in the second half of extra time, looked more than capable of unlocking the Hall/Hanson door and taking it to spot-kicks. Now we go on to meet Sutton at Gander Green Lane, which will hopefully exorcise a few demons for our Sky Blue contingent, a.k.a. Reg Varney. Next up Ilkeston, where we scored our biggest away victory since August 2001. A handsome 5-1 annihilation, and this against the team who had taken 16 points to our 1 in our 6 meetings thus far in the DMP. Brilliant stuff, the force-field around the New Manor Ground Clock End goal has obviously disappeared. Sadly, due to Nan-sitting duties, I was not able to go and so coped with this loss by nipping down to Moneyfields FA Vase game. Felt bad enough as I stood in the cold and rain watching our near neighbours take a royal thrashing from Gorleston, only to find out about the spectacle I had missed in Derbyshire. Still, important thing is we’re starting to pull away from the bottom four and victories today and at next Saturday’s trip to Folkestone are vital to keep us on the right road. 16/11/02: Dagenham & Redbridge vs. Havant & Waterlooville. FAC1. 3-2. So here it is, the mere trifling matter of our second sojourn into the ‘proper’ rounds of the FA Cup. Once again it was a Conference side that stood in our path. Sadly, after an afternoon spent trawling the public houses of Dagenham, you know, for a change like, we found ourselves 2 goals down with a quarter of an hour. Before the game, the Dagenham & Redbridge & Leytonstone & Ilford & Walthamstowe Avenue fans had been highly confident of handing a right royal thrashing out to us, and to listen to them you would think they were a league club and we were Hants Div 3 considering, quote, ‘how far down the pyramid we are’! As we know in reality, it’s only one division, but after such a short time, despite encouraging early chance, we were staring down the barrel of a humiliation, but cometh the hour, cometh the man. Warren Haughton had claimed on Talk Sport the day before (he works there see, our media mole publicity machine) that we would beat D&R 2-1 and that he would score. Score he did, first a deft little back heel then, after D&R had scored their third, his awesome turn and instinctive shot brought us once again back within one goal. I will remember the day for Wozza’s rabble-rousing celebrations – if only there had been a TV camera behind the goal. Still my video of Match Of The Day is already more worn out than a public library copy of ‘Basic Instinct’, and it’s always interesting to see how other people celebrate goals, as when in the thick of it, you’re are too euphoric to care. Trout trying to break down the crash barrier, Shaun and Lammy careering down the terrace steps, the family Foreacre leaping about maniacally – all brilliant stuff that will play over and over until it snaps. Pictures tell the true story of how brilliant it was – we’ll ignore the Observer’s condescending, lazy and, frankly, fictional account. Indeed I’m now fully confident that the corner has been turned and the season to come will be a satisfying one. see also the beano report 09/11/02: Havant & Waterlooville vs. Halesowen Town. DML. 3-1. In a match that virtually mirrored the Billericay game, we knocked 3 goals by about the half hour mark past a Halesowen side that we needed to beat so as not to get too bogged down at the foot of the table. Since we’ve gone 4-4-2, we’ve looked a lot more creative, confidence is brimming and we look like our old selves again. A Jimmy Taylor brace and Gareth larruping his 1st of the season past their monolithic keeper effectively finished it off. After a goal back in the second half it then became the Hall and Hanson show as our centre-halves snuffed out any attack the Yeltz could muster, protecting inexperienced keeper Calvin Sparshatt, drafted back into the club at the last minute in the absence of Aaron Kerr and Steve May. 02/11/02: Newport County vs. Havant & Waterlooville. DML. 0-0. Better start getting ready for the Cup first round, so I’m off to wring out my gold shirt, which will take a long time to get over the downpour as we braved the new open terracing at Newport, despite the weather. A fine environment to take in a scintillating 0-0 draw but I wouldn’t rather have been elsewhere! 27/10/02: The magic to come… So the little matter of the 1st round and a chance to see our beautiful boys strut their stuff via the magic of a Match of the Day highlights package. Sadly, the hard work, that has seen us throw league form aside to knock 9 goals past Harrow Borough, Evesham and our bosom buddies from Essex, did not give us the dream draw of a league club, instead sending us to Dagenham & Redbridge. Granted, they nearly became a league club last year but it just ain’t the same as bringing Blackpool to West Leigh Park or travelling up to play Carlisle on a cold November afternoon. This is to pay no disrespect to them as chances are we will go up there and be beaten by a team from a higher standard. HOWEVER, the opportunity is there for us to really show what we can do. We’ve run Conference clubs close before in cup competitions, as fans of Southport, Rushden & Diamonds and Barnet would no doubt be aware. Who is to say that this time won’t be our first scalp? I hope we can get a good travelling support there as well, should be a great day out. 26/10/02: Havant & Waterlooville vs. Billericay Town. FAC4QR. 3-1. WE have achieved our dream of making the 1st round of the FA Cup, convincingly brushing Billericay aside with a strong, confident display epitomised by Warren Haughton’s arrogant, devilish finish for the second goal. A frightening first half where we played as well as we ever have to go 3 goals up. No one’s ever going to care that Jimmy Taylor missed a penalty thanks to Blakey’s awareness in following up to plug away the rebound from the post. Especially satisfying as since the Billyboys gave it the big one as soon as they walked in the ground asking us, in rather an impolite chant, who the hell we were? I believe they are now MORE than aware! 19/10/02: Grantham Town vs. Havant & Waterlooville. DML. 1-1. Back in league action up at Grantham which, although not as bleak as I had been led to believe, isn’t the prettiest of places. Considering the long trip, our gold-clad troubadours played extremely well to take a point away from a ground where it will always be difficult to pick up a result. Good to see Alec Masson making the most of the opportunity given to him by the enforced absence of Daishy and Shaun Gale, while Christian Hanson was also very effective. Previously with those local rivals of ours, err…Middlesborough, it’d be good to make him a permanent addition to our squad, but currently being based several light years from Havant, he’s certainly looking at getting home late from games at WLP! Although still earlier than Jamie O’Rourke I shouldn’t wonder. Sadly, we’ll not get a chance to race them as Jamie has, in the last fortnight, left us for pastures nearer his gaff – i.e., the ‘Port. Certainly a distinctive figure on the field being tall, lean and with the posture of an overworked hod-carrier (I blame the volume of post on the Island), he has entertained us with some cracking finishes and tireless running in his three years with us. I certainly hope all goes well for him in the future. 12/10/02: Havant & Waterlooville vs. Evesham United. FAC3QR. 4-0. Certainly performances have improved in the last few weeks – maybe there’s something in this 4-4-2 thing. The New Guv’nor and Bobby Howe (El Futbol Atractivo) have looked particularly effective in the middle of the park. Evesham were efficiently despatched from this very competition two weeks ago, with 4 excellent finishes. The highlight being Wozza’s strike, purely for his invitation, to the entire Car Park End, to jump on his head by way of celebration. Also, without wishing to tempt fate, you never know when you might need a penalty taker in the FA Cup, so it was good to see that we have players keen to take responsibility. Super Jim and Timmy both made a grab for the ball prior to the cockney Midfield Genius slamming the ball past the keeper to see us comfortably through. 08/10/02: Havant & Waterlooville vs. Welling United. DML. 1-0. I write these words mere hours after returning from a brief holiday to environs of the Oresund waterway in Scandinavia. An excellent trip only made better when, as I readied myself for bed by surveying the rooftops of South-West Sweden from my eighth floor hotel room, I received the text that informed me simply ‘1-0…Bobby Howe (Sexy Football)’. Yeeeeeeeeeessssssssssss! 05/10/02: Worcester City vs. Havant & Waterlooville. DML. 2-1. see the beano report back to index