MATCH PREVIEW: Havant & Waterlooville vs Wimborne Town
Last season Havant & Waterlooville were denied the final play-off spot by a 94th minute Dorchester goal at Hungerford on the last day of the campaign. Hopes were high of The Hawks going at least one better this term, but just three wins and two draws in their first 13 league games, and early exits from both FA competitions, led to a change of manager.
New boss Aaron Martin, who played in the Championship and League One, has been in the hot seat for just over four weeks and has overseen two wins, and a draw in their next five league fixtures. Those five results have been: a 3-0 loss at Berkhamsted; a 2-0 home win over Weymouth; a 1-1 home draw with Chertsey; a 3-0 home loss to Poole; and, last Saturday, a 2-1 win at Yate. The Hawks are currently sitting 19th with a W5 D3 L10 GF 26 GA 35 record; on the 3G at Westleigh Park the record is W2 D2 L4. Above 22nd and rock-bottom Tiverton, Havant are the middle of five teams separated by a single point.
Manager Martin has been busy bringing in new recruits: full-back Freddie Taylor on loan from League Two Bromley; midfielder Harry Thorpe on loan from Aldershot; winger Glenn Gabriel, who has been a Terra; defender Junior Nkwonta who has played at Step 2 for Aveley; defender Jamar Smith who has appeared for Salisbury, Poole and Gosport; midfielder Daniel Fosu who played for Arbroath in the Scottish Championship and more recently Hanwell and Uxbridge; and, most recently, has extended goalkeeper Lorenz Ferdinand’s loan from Brighton. Two familiar names to Magpies supporters are skipper Ryan Seager, with a dozen league goals to his name, and Harvey Laidlaw, a set-piece specialist.
Wimborne’s eight match unbeaten league run was ended last Saturday by a 3-2 defeat at Bracknell, after taking a 2-0 first-half lead through goals by Will Fletcher and Joe Smith. Before then, on their travels, Tim’s team had won 2-0 at Dorchester, and drawn at Hungerford (0-0) and Hanwell (1-1).
In the current form table, both The Magpies 12th (W1 D4 L1) and The Hawks 13th (W2 D1 L3) have taken seven points from their most recent six games. But in the table that matters, Wimborne are 13 points and 11 places higher than Havant with a W8 D7 L4 GF 33 GA 20 record; on their travels it’s W2 D3 L4.
Unless Wimborne Manager Tim Sills has been able to bring in extra players this week, once again he will have few selection options as he will be without Cam Plain, Sam Roberts, Ben Scorey, and Seuny, while Billy Walker remains an injury doubt.
Last season The Hawks did the double over The Magpies: 2-1 at New Cuthbury in February when a red card seemed to galvanise the visitors with goals by Laidlaw and Seager; and a Seager brace in the reverse fixture on the final day of the season. In their first home game of this season at The Wyatt Homes Stadium, Wimborne turned the tables 3-1 with goals from Billy Walker, and substitutes Joe Smith and Joe Ryan.
Can Tim’s team make it a double on Saturday, or will Martin’s men continue their improvement? A last game before Christmas could be a cracker. COYM!
Match Info:
- Havant and Waterlooville's Ground: Westleigh Park, Martin Road, Havant, Hants PO9 5TH - c.50 miles.
- Admission: Adult: £15; concessions: £10; 12-16s: £2; U12s free – all juniors must be accompanied.
- Average Att: 648
- Weather Forecast: Light cloud; 10oC; 30% chance of rain.
