Whitehawk sealed promotion back to the Isthmian Premier after seeing off Hythe Town on Friday night, writes Ant Scott.

Charlie Harris scored the only goal of the game just before half-time as the Hawks won 1-0 in front of a 1,428-strong crowd at The Enclosed Ground.

Boss Shaun Saunders was full of praise for his side.

“I’m so proud of the players,” he said. “The togetherness of the group, and the determination to carry this over the line – we’ve worked so hard to get here and the application of the players was spot on. We had a game plan, we stuck to it and it’s fantastic.

“If we can’t be better, then we need to out-work sides and we’ve done that this year, the lads have been superb. I’ve had a lot of teams and a lot of good players, but this group have been fantastic.”

Hawks had the first big chance inside the opening ten minutes. Luca Cocoracchio helped a free-kick on into the path of the unmarked Rob O’Toole, but on the stretch he could only fire over the bar from close range.

The hosts went close again minutes later, but Charlie Lambert could only volley Harris’ cross just wide of the far post.

Hythe had their moments on the break, but at the same time were restricting the Hawks to limited chances.

Saunders’ side had a great chance to go in front after half an hour. Steve Phillips parried Lambert’s effort into the path of Alfie Rogers but he couldn’t hit the target under pressure with the follow up.

Then just two minutes before the break, Hawks found the breakthrough.

After his free-kick came back off the wall, Harris was first to react and he fired a low drive with his left foot which picked out the bottom corner perfectly.

After the hour, it was nearly two when substitute Will Miles connected with Harris’ corner, but Phillips did well to turn the header over the bar.

Hythe looked to grab the equaliser that they needed, but in truth they never really threatened. Liam Smith hooked a corner wide of the near post in a rare effort on goal with nine minutes to go.

It was actually the hosts that went closest to doubling their lead late on as Hamish Morrison’s cross was headed just over his own goal by Lex Allan as the Hawks sealed promotion in Saunders’ first season in charge.

Hawks: Glover, Morrison, Wright, Brewer, Cooper (Miles 22), Cocoracchio, Rogers (Moore 90), Harris, Lambert (Oti 33), O’Toole, Daly. Unused Subs: Robinson, Price-Placid.