WHITEHAWK 0, CONCORD RANGERS 0

Pablo Asensio is convinced his new-look Whitehawk side will come good.

But change could be in the air after they failed to beat rock bottom Concord Rangers.

Asensio and his board are likely to consider tweaks to the 18-man squad after an opening to the National League season which has fallen well short of expectations.

Hawks showed signs of playing the way their Argentinean boss wants them to going down the slope in the second half yesterday and could have grabbed the win their faltering campaign demanded.

Danny Mills sent one effort against the post and another narrowly wide as well as firing a shot across goal and Duncan Culley wasted two very presentable chances to mark his birthday in style when the ball dropped to him close to goal.

The Argus:

That was better – but it was overdue because Hawks played far too much long ball stuff in the first half.

Even when they improved, there were too many times when Hawks’ passing was tentative and too easy for a Concord defence built around impressive centre-back Marvin Ekpiteta to pick off.

While wholesale changes are not likely, Hawks could make alterations ahead of Saturday’s trip to Bath.

Should they wish to offload any contracted players, they would look to do that within the transfer window which closes tomorrow night.

Their sizeable and noisy band of supporters behind the goals continue to give them excellent backing and skipper Sergio Torres led the team over to applaud them after this second successive 0-0 draw at home.

But even a percussion section that would not have been out of place at Notting Hill could not totally drown out groans around the ground as Hawks laboured in possession.

Asensio told The Argus: “We can’t hide that something is not right. Something is missing.

“I think we looked a little bit nervous. We played without any hurry. But in the second half we changed that. There was more urgency.

“The players I have brought in have played at very good levels in strong football environments.

“We have changed a lot and it is not going to happen overnight.

“It was not the August I dreamed of but we are not miles away.”

Actually, in the first half, Hawks WERE miles away from the sort of football Asensio prefers.

His suggestion that they looked nervous was born out by the way players declined to take responsibility on the ball.

They were far too direct and they threatened just once, when Mills chased hard and lobbed on to the top of the bar.

That came after Albi Llenga, who looks a strong defensive acquisition, cleared off the line from Harvey Hood.

Adri Munoz, at fault in that incident, saved well from Steve Cawley and, in Concord’s only notable attack of the second half, Hodd sent a free header horribly wide.

Munoz, one of the successes of recent weeks, said: “I think there was more aggression and more work in the second half but the ball didn’t go in.

“There was a change of attitude and I think you could see that.

“Hopefully the results go for us but right now we feel down because we drew at home.”

Whitehawk: Munoz; Marimon (Infante 41), Llenga, M’Boungou, Yan; Favarel; West, Torres, Agostini (Abdulla 63), Culley; Mills.

Subs not used: Tagbo, Ribeiro, Rodrigues.