Elated Pablo Asensio believes Whitehawk have shown they can battle with the best of them.

Now he has urged everyone at the club to believe they could be on to big things.

Hawks claimed their first points of the season, beating Dartford 1-0 last night in an at-times physical and feisty affair at the Enclosed Ground.

Ahmed Abdulla’s early penalty was the difference against a Dartford side who had Keaton Wood sent off just before half-time.

Hawks had to dip deep at times but their former Brazil under-20 international goalkeeper Lucas Covolan gave something approaching a master class under the high ball and they just about merited the win.

Boss Asensio said: “The doubt about my team is ‘They are a load of foreigners’ and of course the physicality of the English game is fantastic.

“That Dartford team are going to go very far. They are very tall, very strong physically, very honest players. They run and run.

“But my first win as a caretaker was against Dartford and I was elated with that.

“Now I’m elated again we have got our first win this season.

“It was important for our confidence and the people who still don’t believe around the club"

Hawks went ahead in only the fourth minute as Abdulla calmly converted from the spot after Sergio Torres’ angled pass was needlessly handled.

The hosts started brightly and deserved that lead – but the half steadily deteriorated into a niggly, untidy and eventually downright bad-tempered affair which saw Dartford finish with ten men.

Wood and Covolan were picked out as the players to see yellow as most of the 22 on the pitch clashed in the goalmouth after the latter caught a corner under a lot of pressure.

That was in the 43rd minute. Two minutes later another high ball was played in, Covolan again took it cleanly and Wood’s challenge was deemed worthy of a second yellow.

Hawks wideman Duncan Culley had earlier walked thin ice when penalised for a foul just after being booked, so a Dartford sense of injustice - justified or not - was further fuelled when Wood was dismissed.

In total, nine other players were booked, six for Hawks.

When football did break out in the first half, each team saw a low cross fizz across the face of goal in thee first half with no one getting a touch.

Danny Mills had a shot saved for Hawks and, for Dartford, Luke Wanadio had an effort deflect just off target, leading to the corner which produced the melee.

The second half was less feisty and Mills shot straight at keeper Deren Ibrahim after Culley had headed the ball down.

Javier Favarel saw his blast well saved by Ibrahim at his near post after some short and sharp passing around the edge of the box.

And Abdulla sent a 20-yard free-kick over the bar after Mike West was tripped.

Substitute Andy Pugh fired over for Dartford on a counter and Hawks had to defend against several crosses.

But they got through without major alarm.

Whitehawk: Covolan; Mann, Llenga, Hamilton (Marimon 46), Yan (M’Boungou 56); West, Favarel, Torres, Culley (Agostini 77); Mills, Abdulla. Unused subs: Adri, Santos-Rodrigues.

Dartford: Ibrahim; Gardner, Bonner, Vint (Noble 46), Wynter; Hayes, Wood, Bonner, Wanadio (Brown 78); Harris, Ofori-Acheampong (Pugh 46). Unused subs: Francis, Dembele.

Ref: Elliott Kaye.

Attendance: 322