Hall & Orchard look to shock high flying Hawk's in Hampshire.

Match Preview

Havant & Waterlooville

Saturday 21^st February

3pm Kick Off 

At Westleigh Park

Darren Holmes

Tiverton's unsuccessful goalmouth scramble last time out away to Uxbridge - Viv Curtis (Club Photographer)

A resurgent Havant & Waterlooville are next up for the Yellows’. Their transformation from languishing in the relegation place’s to becoming a top half side, has been no mean feat. Back in November after a disappointing start, vastly experienced coach Shaun North departed his role as manager and Aaron Martin was the man tasked with turning the Hawk’s season around.

Martin's playing career was hampered by injury, but the former Southampton, Crystal Palace,Coventry, Birmingham, Oxford and Exeter City centre back’s appointment has proved to be a significant one. Manoeuvring his team into Ninth place, meaning the 36 year old has began his managerial career with a bit of a flourish.

Only a transformation of epic proportions will see Asa Hall’s men playing their football in this division next term, but professional pride and remaining competitive and focused will I’m sure be the basis of many a team talk between now and the end of the season. With the exciting Tor Swann and top scorer Louis Jagger Cane moving onto pastures new, there will be opportunities for other’s to emerge.

The Yellows’ travelled to Westleigh Park in October, as our host’s put paid to a run in the FA Trophy materialising and were on the end of a 4-2 reverse. The management team will know that this will be a much stronger Hawk’s side this time around and everyone will have to play to their maximum if we are to come away with anything from Hampshire.

Because of their early season predicament, our host’s have done well to hold onto the phenomenal striking talent’s of Ryan Seager. His 51 goals from 68 appearances for the Hawk's in this division is an excellent personal achievement. Coming through Southampton’s academy 30 year old Seager made two senior appearances for the Saint’s. One of those came in the Premier League.He was part of Five Premier League squad’s.

Loan spell’s with Crewe, MK Dons, Yeovil and Dutch second tier side Telestar happened whilst with Southampton and when released it was League Two Yeovil who moved to sign him. The first time he played for our host’s was as a loanee from the Glovers’ in the 2019/20 season. His predatory instinct’s saw him score 41goals in 59 games for Hungerford in National South. National League Dorking Wanderers was his next destination, before joining the Hawks during the2023/24 season.

Forward/Winger Leon Maloney who missed games through injury earlier in the campaign is  pivotal for Havant & Waterlooville. He played Five games for Portsmouth, after being part of their youth set up and like Kealy played in the Dutch second tier for FC Volendam. An inventive player, 24 year old Maloney spent the 2023/24 campaign with Totton and arrived at Westleigh Park at the start of the last campaign.

Promising forward Ethan Giwa-McNeil is in his first season at the club and has performed strongly this term. Beginning at Baldock Town and continuing his fledgling career with BiggleswadeTown, McNeil is very good ability-wise. Attacking midfielder Harry Thorpe’s parent club are Aldershot and the gifted youngster has been on loan in previous season’s at Hayes and Yeading and Thatcham.

Olly Pendlebury is a midfielder who came through the ranks at Reading and played a single game for the Royal's. He then moved onto Wycombe where he made Four EFL appearances. The cultured Pendlebury is only 24 and has played for higher Non league club’s. Woking, Aldershot and Farnborough have all furthered his senior experience.

Fellow midfielder’s Alfy Whittingham and Mitchell Aston also give the Hawk’s plenty of depth in the midfield department. The former is the son of ex Sheffield Wednesday, Aston Villa and Portsmouth striker Guy Whittingham.

27 year old Alfy has has numerous spell’s at Westleigh Park. A strong player at this level he has played for a host of non league side’s higher up the football pyramid. Aldershot, Hampton and Richmond are all team’s that he has represented.The latter Mitchell Aston is another talented, ex Pompey youngster who has started to establish himself in the Hawk’s line up, following his arrival last season.

Irish midfielder/defender Paul Rooney is in a second spell at the club and an original short term deal which he penned in October has now been extended for the remainder of the season. The 28 year old has a good pedigree. In his formative year’s after a spell in his native republic of Ireland with Bohemians, he signed a professional contract with Millwall in 2016 and stayed at the New Den for two season’s and was loaned to Torquay.

He then transferred to Colchester United where he made a solitary appearance and had a loan stints with Bromley and Billericay, in the 2018/19season. Signing for National League Dover for the following campaign, leaving the Kent side for the Hawks in the 2021/22 season, who at the time were a National South side. He returned to Kent to sign for Dartford and is now back at Westleigh Park.

Young centre back George Milner-Smith impressed as a loanee in the previous campaign and after his departure from Aldershot, the Hawks beat off other suitor’s to capture his signature. The commanding defender has been pretty much aconstant this term and has also gained earlierSouthern League Premier South experience with Sholing and Chertsey, when with the Shot’s.

Defender Brendan Willson started his football journey at National League Eastleigh. The young defender was on loan at both Gosport and Weymouth. The Hawks acquired his services inthe 2023/24 season and aside from a brief loan period at Poole, he has remained a key member of our host’s squad.

Harvey Laidlaw’s early football development waswith Portsmouth, like a few other player’s plying their trade with the Hampshire side. The technicalleft back did make a cup appearance for the first team and was loaned to Gosport, before his releasein 2024. This is his second season at the club.

Freddie Taylor's parent club is the EFL's Bromley. Defender Taylor is starting to make his mark at Havant & Waterlooville. Scoring the winning goal in their last fixture against Weymouth, he was previously an academy player for Watford and Brentford.

Contracted to Brighton, Lorenz Ferdinand son of Rio, has produced some outstanding display’s between the sticks. He was also a loanee last term with the Hawk’s and is in possession of the gloves.

Win’s against high flying Gloucester and Farnham at home, implies a tough game awaits the Yellows’ at the weekend. With game time because of the awful weather in Tiverton being infrequent this will be a tricky obstacle to overcome, but the lad’s will be giving their all once they cross the white line.