Kenny kills off the Hawks in the end

A GOAL ten minutes from time by Kenny Beaney finally ended Whitehawk’s stubborn resistance, but for 80 minutes, the Moatsiders did everything but score.

In a first half played in torrential rain, Whitehawk had keeper Melvin Minter to thank for keeping rampant Merstham at bay.

When Minter was beaten, the woodwork came to the rescue. Kenny Beaney was unlucky when his shot struck the inside of the post, rolled along the goal line and out of play.

A few minutes later, Merstham hit the post again, with Simon Cooper the unlucky man this time. Minter made a string of good saves as shots peppered his goal. Seven minutes before the break, the Moatsiders had a goal by Davies controversially disallowed. The referee originally gave the goal, but, persuaded by the Whitehawk players, then went to talk to his assistant before finally giving Whitehawk a free kick for apparent handball.

The second half continued in similar vein, but just when it looked like Whitehawk might grab an unlikely point, a short corner between Beaney and Kershaney Samuels, freed Beaney and he found the net with a clever near post finish to give Merstham the win they deserved and break Whitehawk’s brave spirit.