By Isaac Gleave

There is a gleaming mood around The Enclosed Ground these days.

In what has been a month of much stop-start, cup priority and trips on the road, Whitehawk finally returned to their home after 29 days away.

Since that 3-0 victory over Three Bridges on Bank Holiday Monday, Shaun Saunders’s side have played three matches - all away from home soil.

It’s been a prosperous few trips, too, after progressing in the FA Trophy with wins at Tilbury and Corinthian Sandwiched in between was a 0-0 draw at Lancing in the league, the only divisional match to be played this month.

After some questionable scheduling it appeared not to faze the Hawks who cruised to a 4-0 victory over Ashford United in the Velocity Trophy on Tuesday evening.

Storming into a 3-0 lead via the boot of Charlie Lambert, the face of Rob O’Toole and the hip of Stefan Wright, it was another joyous opening half as that press and squeeze so often seen was on display once again.

Joe Shelley - the 40-year-old roving midfielder - capped the evening with a late spot-kick to earn his sixth goal of the campaign, the fifth via the penalty spot.

The recently acquired Kai Brown was electric in the No.10 position, linking the play with his bravura touch and habitual movement as ‘The Nuts and Bolts’ drowned under the immense pressure of the Hawk.

Speaking after the game, Saunders praised his side’s efforts, saying: “We played really well tonight [Tuesday], some really good stuff. Some of the stuff we played tonight was as good as it’s been since I arrived…it was a good night for us.”

Whitehawk are back on the road on Saturday with a trip to Sheppey United in the league, before hosting a league game on Tuesday, October 11 with the visit of Burgess Hill Town.