Nine-man Hawks sent packing by super City

Second half goals from Scott Wilson and Sonny Cox saw City beat Havant & Waterlooville 2-0 this evening at Twerton Park, as the visitors finished the game with just nine men. Neither side could get on top during the opening 30 minutes, although it was City came the closest to scoring on two occasions. A great run and cross from Adam Mekki on 14 minutes just saw Wilson fail to get a decisive touch at the far post. Then seven minutes later Cox showed great pace and strength to hold of a Havant defender and burst clear. He stumbled at the vital moment but the ball broke to Wilson only for his shot to fly wide of the unguarded goal. Havant had showed brief glimpses as an attacking threat but they suffered a blow eight minutes before the interval when Faal was sent off for a second booking. It took City just seven minutes into the second half to make their man advantage count when keeper Sharman-Lowe could only parry Cox’s shot into the path of Wilson for a simple tap-in. City’s injury hoodoo struck again on 64 minutes when home-debutant Mekki was stretched off with a leg injury but seven minutes later his replacement Tom Smith crossed for Cox to make it 2-0. Havant pressed for a way back into the game but found City’s defence in unforgiving form and six minutes into stoppage time their obvious frustrations got the better of them when Ruff’s shocking late challenge on Marley Rose saw him receive a straight red card.