Doswell Knows All About Being The Patient Predator

Just when many thought the National League South championship was heading to Wealdstone, a title race appeared from nowhere.

Havant & Waterlooville, thanks in the main to their incredible undefeated away record, made things very interesting indeed. Then the curtain came down.

Now comes the waiting game, but Doswell has history when it comes to being the patient predator.

“The funny thing is I haven’t enjoyed a season as much as this for a really long time,” he told us.

“But the way we are looking at it is that we’ve got 20 per cent of matches still to play.

“Suddenly there’s a bit of a title race developing too. We’ve managed to close the gap on Wealdstone to three points. They’ve got a game in hand, away from home, but we’ve done ever so well - the gap was 16 points at one point and we’ve managed to get ourselves right back in there.

“It’s funny, I actually get a similar feeling about this season to the 2015-16 season.

“My Sutton side were 21 points adrift of Ebbsfleet United in November. Don’t ask me how, but we caught them. We went on the most incredible run of 25 games unbeaten and the rest is history.

“Winning the league that year, from where we were just before Christmas, was something none of us will ever forget.

“Now I’m not saying it will happen again, but what we’ve done thanks to our strong form just before the decision was made to suspend football is to open up a window of opportunity.

“We’ve managed to put them under pressure, but don’t forget there’s also pressure on us to keep going. If and when football re-starts we’ll need to be ready.”

Doswell has sympathy for counterpart Dean Brennan with all the uncertainty in sport right now.

“I actually feel really gutted for Wealdstone, they have been outstanding this season,” the Hawks boss adds. “Dean is an outstanding manager with a really good backroom team.

“His side attack so well and their front four players are excellent - they’re so exciting to watch. They’ve been the best team so far this season, there’s no doubt at all about that.

“In fact there is so much talent right the way through the National League South.

“I honestly think there top seven or eight clubs would do well at the step above, I don’t think one of them would struggle - and that’s a big compliment to the division.”

His main worry is not the football. The mental health of all within the game is a big focus - and clubs have a duty to ensure everyone is coping during the current crisis, he stressed.

“Everyone needs to check in with people,” he said. “I’m worried about my players and I’m sure many other managers are.

“Remember they have gone from being in the dressing room environment three times a week to potentially not at all for what could be quite some time. It is going to have an effect.

“It’s been a fantastic season. I haven’t enjoyed a season like this in quite a few years actually.

“Leaving the National League last year, I knew I was going to miss a number of things - walking out at great stadiums was the one I thought would be the hardest to lose out on, but the National League South has so much to offer. It’s a fantastic division.

“You can see the community spirit everywhere you go, it’s in the main volunteer run and at each ground there’s such a great welcome. Obviously one of your first thoughts is for the clubs and how they’re going to all pull through this. It’s a challenging time for everyone.

“There’s an awful lot people don’t realise that clubs have to do financially. Stadium upkeep is one of the things I remember most about those final few years at Sutton.

“A lot of the money we made from our FA Cup run actually went on the ground and keeping it fit for purpose. I remember there was some asbestos which we needed to sort. We needed to do some re-wiring as well. You have to maintain them, even when there’s nobody in the stands.

“Football needs to come together as this is the most challenging time many of us have ever faced.”

PICTURES BY HAVANT & WATERLOOVILLE FC AND PAUL LOUGHLIN