Staines made their first visit to Westleigh Park on a day of very wet weather down in Hampshire.
The home club’s groundsman must have been cursing referee Andy Newell’s decision to play the game, as it cut up badly as the rain continued to fall all afternoon, and they are at home again two days later.
Steve Cordery made just one change from last week, Dominic Sterling serving his one game ban and opening the door to Marvin Kamara.
The home side were without five regulars, with ex Arsenal man Ian Selley (brother of ex-Swan Martin), Simpemba, and Tiryaki all suspended, and G MacDonald injured.
They introduced new signing Hopkinson, and fielded former Staines players in both fullback spots – Jake Newton (Howard’s brother), and Jon McDonald; conversely, Leroy Griffiths is a former Hawk.
Staines played towards the entrance end in the first half, down the slope but against the gusting breeze.
Both teams found it hard to cope with a soft, greasy pitch, but Hawks adapted to it more quickly, putting the visitors under a fair degree of pressure in the opening 15 minutes.
But Andrew White had their first real chance, shooting across the face of goal after Newton had flicked on a Griffiths throw-in.
Newton also made two blistering runs down the left, but both came to nought.
Midway through the half, Williams claimed a penalty but the referee agreed with Staines’ claim that his tumble had more to do with the slippery conditions than with the contact with Mambo.
And two minutes later, Williams had a great scoring chance, but slipped over on the very same muddy patch, and scuffed his shot tamely wide.
Wells dealt easily with a floated shot from Hawks’ Walker, but Scarlett collected a 42nd minute caution for persistent infringement after a foul on erstwhile team-mate McDonald.
Staines finished the half in style, with a great run by Newton, who at first seemed to have missed an opportunity to shoot on the muddy outskirts of the 18 yard box, but instead cleverly slipped the ball out to Griffiths, who chipped it back towards the centre, from where Newton’s powerful header flew just wide.
Conditions had worsened still further by the start of the second half, which the home side went into without the injured Williams.
Again Havant started the half well, Sewell and Medley forcing Wells into decent saves, and as the midway point approached, Staines first withdrew young White to make way for the slowly recovering Chaaban, and then Risbridger (who had a stomach upset) for Brown.
Soon after this, Griffiths suffered a knock and an ankle that was giving cause for concern before kick-off, and Taylor took his place.
As the half wore on, Staines again looked the more comfortable side, attacking neatly, and occasionally skimming deftly over the boggy pitch.
However, whenever an attack broke down, Havant broke quickly, and on one such occasion they won a corner which led to Pearce’s far post header flying right across the face of goal.
With four minutes left, Jackson arrowed a low, angled ball towards goal from the right wing, and in trying to clear, McDonald was only able to slice the ball which fortunately for him went into the side-netting.
But in the very last minute of normal time, Havant & Waterlooville scored a killer goal.
It seemed a harsh decision to award a free-kick against Mambo for a foul on the halfway line, and this was pumped forward by Hopkinson, for Pearce to nod down, and Alban Jusufi, who had only come on three minutes earlier, lashed a first time shot that clipped the inside of the near post before flying across goal and nestling into the far corner.
As in the first half, three additional minutes were played, but this was not enough for Staines to prevent Havant from becoming the first team to do the ‘double’ over them this term.
Staines have lost only three times since their FA Cup exit at Millwall on December 9, and two of those have been the result of conceding a goal in the last minute.
Staines: Wells, S Jackson, Kamara, Gordon ©, Mambo, Scarlett, H Newton, Risbridger (D Brown 67), White (Chaaban 62), Godfrey, Griffiths (Taylor 74); unused: Ifura, Courtnage (g).
H&W: Howe, J Newton, McDonald, Walker (Jusufi 86), Gasson, Pearce, Fogden, Hinshelwood, Williams © (Sewell HT), Hopkinson, Medley; unused Melo, Lopes, Ashmore (g).
Ref: Andy Newell (N Yate, Bristol); ARs: Damon McEllin & Steve Brown (both Bristol); Att 715.
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