Getting season back on track
Chelmsford clash could prove crucial in Hawks’ campaign
Hawks must end a week to forget by beating Chelmsford City to get their season back on track tomorrow.
That's the view of assistant boss Ian Baird following two defeats in the space of four days.
The shock FA Cup exit at Marine on Sunday was followed by a 3-2 home loss to 10-man Hemel Hempstead in the National League South.
Successive defeats have brought down morale in the camp following a solid start to the season.
The Hawks had lost just one of their opening nine matches in all competitions and momentum was beginning to build.
But now they head into a crucial meeting with Chelmsford at Westleigh Park staring at the possibility of three defeats on the spin.
The Hawks are already 15 points adrift of leaders Dorking Wanderers in 11th, although they have a number of games in hand of teams above them.
Baird acknowledged a scenario of three straight losses is something they cannot afford to become reality.
Instead, he says the Hawks must find a way to get a result at stop the rot against the Essex side.
‘You certainly don’t want to be going and getting beaten in three on the bounce,’ said Baird.
‘Momentum is a funny thing and it works both ways.
‘When you get on a run winning you just keep churning out the wins.
‘When you start losing games you can start getting on a losing run - by hook or crook we need to get a result on Saturday.
‘If that means we don’t get play well and get a result then so be it.’
Hawks have been boosted by the news that supporters can return for the visit of Chelmsford.
But Baird says the players can't rely on the fans to get them going and they must give supporters something to cheer.
In their past three home matches - against Hemel, Oxford City and Dulwich Hamlet - they have fallen behind. Although they battled back to win in two of those, Baird wants to see the players at it from the first whistle and starting to outwork opposition again.
‘For some unknown reason we don’t seem to be starting well so we’ve got to eradicate that, that’s for sure' added Baird.
‘Every game we’re giving ourselves an uphill battle without any oars.
‘We’ve just got to make sure that we match their endeavour and match their enthusiasm and actually outrun a side because we haven’t outrun a side in the last two games.
‘We’ve got to make sure, by hook or by crook, we get a result on Saturday..’