Hawks head to the Final

To repeat an old cliche, a year is a long time in football.

This time last season, Whitehawk were ‘celebrating’ survival at the end of an extremely difficult Isthmian campaign; perhaps their most difficult since they were first promoted to our ranks in 2010. At the step below, Beckenham Town were celebrating promotion to our ranks for the first time- Combined Counties Premier South champions. For both sides to end this season in a play off place was already an enormous achievement- but for both, their hopes were greater still.

Only one point separated the sides at the end of the campaign, and both recorded home wins against the other during the regular season, which perhaps made the Hawks favourites this evening. The statistics bore that out, too- the hosts had lost only twice at their Enclosed Ground, whilst Becks had been rather inconsistent on the road, losing as many as they won. They were in Sussex for the second time in a matter of days, their draw at Burgess Hill Town at the weekend securing their own play off place whilst at the same time saving their hosts from the panic of a bottom four finish.

The blue skies and sunshine as the players walked out belied the temperature, which was already beginning to fall. Some years we greet the play offs in short sleeves and suntan lotion, but tonight it was still big coat and scarf weather. Even the dogs in attendance were dressed for plunging temperatures.

Before kick off, Commercial Manager Kevin Miller halted proceedings to make a solemn announcement. A young Hawks fan had recently taken his own life, and Kevin exhorted those suffering from depression to ask for help, reminded those present of the services of the Samaritans, and instigated a minutes applause which echoed across the ground. It was a reminder that, no matter how important we think football is, there are many things that are far more important. Our sincere condolences to the family and friends of the young man who is lost to us, and to his Hawks family.

The Hawks won the toss- we assume, as they were kicking up the slope in the first half- and the visitors, in blue, got us underway. The home fans were soon clanking a cow bell and hammering a drum on the open terrace, whilst their side began to attack, Luca Cocoracchio heading the first chance over the bar in the sixth minute. At the other end, Louie Theophanous was exhibiting some dangerous touches around the hosts penalty area, but denied the space to create any real danger.

On fourteen minutes we had our first real excitement. A corner from the right was accompanied by home fans waving their keys in the air- a ‘key moment’- and two shots were blocked just in front of the goal, but Nick Blue- a promotion winner with Cray Wanderers and VCD Athletic earlier in his career- wasn’t troubled until having to block a shot from Alfie Rogers with twenty one minutes on the clock. The Hawks were creating the most chances, but they were half chances, and the game remained close, nervous and scrappy. Town then got a chance at the other end, Theophanous creating it by playing a fine pass for Harvey Brand to fire goalward from a narrow angle, but Luke Glover managed to block.

We moved into the last ten minutes of the half, and so far the entertainment value had been somewhat lacking. Rob O’Toole, promoted many, many times already (five, we believe), tried to do something about it, twisting and firing in a shot that was cleared just in front of the line. A few minutes later, O’Toole once more, blocked once more, the Hawks faithful serenading their side with a chorus of “Feeling Hawk, Hawk, Hawk,” and then right before the half time whistle an injury to Harry Shooman forced the first change, Leon Moore entering the fray for the hosts. That was that, and the first half was over, and rather forgettable. Nil-nil, and deservedly so.

The second half got underway with a Hawks flurry, but in the opening stages the only difference from the first half was that the home fans, transferred to the covered end, were making a much louder din in The Din. Joel Daly tried to change that, firing in a shot which Blue was only able to parry away,

The encouragement made a difference. Charlie Lambert fired a shot which Blue could only block, and O’Toole tried an overhead kick which was close and delivered a corner. The corner looked to be too long, but Blue came halfway out, didn’t get it, and found it headed over his head and into the net by Nathan Cooper. One-nil Hawks, and the visitors with half an hour to do something about it. Above the pitch, the AA arrived in the overflow car park to fix a flat battery, and a few moments earlier we could have done with them recharging the match, but suddenly it had energy of its own. The hosts kept up the pressure, and Beckenham looked flustered for the first time in the match as Lambert forced another save from Blue, and perhaps should have done better. The attendance was announced as seven hundred and two.

We moved into the last twenty minutes with the visitors probing but making little headway. Yahaya Kamara and Steven Townsend entered the fray to try and make a difference, and their side tried a collection of long throws, but every forward move broke down before it reached the Hawks box. The next change for the visitors was enforced, Mudiaga Wanogho limping off to be replaced by Henry Griffin, but the next chance went to the hosts, Cooper this time meeting a corner and heading over.

And then there were ten, and Tunde Aderomnu was fouled in a dangerous position. Was this their moment? It wasn’t. The free kick from Freddie Nyhus was easily headed away, and the home fans celebrated- but finally the visitors were taking the match to their hosts. The Hawks made a defensive change, Will Miles coming on for Alfie Rogers, as they tried to hold onto what they had. Tommy Brewer conceded a needless free kick for a push and gave Danny Waldren the chance to curl in a free kick- but again, a strong header cleared it, although this time there was nobody in a red shirt to collect it. A Hawks chance; Stefan Wright the first to a fifty-fifty ball with Blue charging off his line, but his flick went agonisingly wide.

Seven minutes were added on, and a Hawks fan in the main stand did his best Len Goodman impression in response. There were groans from elsewhere amongst the home faithful, but there had been a number of stoppages and the amount of time added on by the referee was understandable, if unwelcome to the hosts.

With two of the added minutes to go, a long ball out of defence saw Malachi Hudson get in front of Robert Carter. The Beckenham defender pulled back his man, who crashed to the floor, and the card was red. “Let’s all have a party,” sang the home faithful, and O’Toole fired in a shot which Blue had to save, when perhaps we expected the hosts to just hold onto the ball.

And then, with ninety nine minutes played, finally, the whistle. The Hawks were in the Final, and pandemonium was the result.

Follow the Pitching In Isthmian League on Instagram. Head here or search for theisthmianleague on your app. We're also on Facebook and Twitter.