Hawks run Pompey close in pre-season opener

Mon Jul 12, 2010 : 22:31

The Hawks opened their pre-season campaign with a narrow defeat at the hands of Championship neighbours Portsmouth on Saturday. David Nugent scored first for Pompey in the 14th minute after he battled his way past the home defence with a header from Marlon Pack, but Mustafa Tiryaki levelled the score ten minutes from the break when he nodded home an Ian Selley free kick.

The hard-working Hawks had a chance to steal the lead just after the break when Pack brought down Stuart Douglas, but keeper Jon Stewart guessed right to block Sam Pearce’s penalty kick. Michael Brown then fired home Pompey’s winner in the 56th minute.

The match gave Shaun Gale the chance to view a plethora of trial talent, including full back Ben Johnson (Worthing), central defenders James Tyrell (Bristol Rovers) and Phil Turrell (former pre-academy Hawks youth now with Hayling United), and the familiar form of Bath City’s Stuart Douglas. In addition, academy graduates Conor Geoghegan, Craig Robson and Alex Baldacchino all made appearances in search of the first team contracts already earned by Nathan Ashmore and Liam Sewell.

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