Steven King has told his Whitehawk players they should not have to score three goals to win a game.

The Hawks boss is delighted with a start to the season which has seen his side lose just once in ten matches.

They are currently sitting fifth in National League south, are playing eye-catching football and scoring goals for fun.

But after two successive 3-2 wins – each by coming from behind to score a last-gasp winner – King would like his team to make things easier for themselves.

They have kept just two clean sheets so far and have conceded two or more goals in seven of their ten matches.

That is no sleight on a rebuilt defence, having lost centre-backs Tom Cadmore and Osei Sankofa plus injured left-back Lee Hills from the side which reached the play-off final last season as well as winning the Sussex Senior Cup.

The new back-four unit are getting to know each other still but have all contributed to the good start in their own way.

But, collectively, King knows to win promotion his side will have to learn how to grind out 1-0 wins when the need arises.

He said: “We need to stop conceding goals because we can’t keep scoring three every game to win.

“We are joint top scorers in the league and scoring goals for fun but we need to try to tighten up and stop giving goals away.

“To be fair we only have Nick (Arnold) and the goalkeeper (Craig Ross) from last season. People will take time to get used to each other.”

King thought he had found a good combination when he brought in Belgian defender Bryan van den Bogaert from Crawley Town.

Hawks kept two clean sheets with the versatile former Antwerp left-back playing in the centre of defence but he has missed the last two games with a groin injury.

King has instead turned to Jordan Rose, the ex-Stockport defender who missed the best part of two years due to injury before linking up with Hawks at the end of last season.

Rose scored the winner against Maidenhead last Saturday and was excellent against Havant but needs time to both regain full match fitness and to build a partnership with Argentinian summer signing Juan Cruz Gotta, who himself is still getting used to English football.

King said: “Jordan has been out for nearly two years with an injury and is only just starting to get back to fitness.

“He was outstanding on Tuesday and scored the winner last Saturday. He is getting better with every game he plays.

“He has played in the Football League and he will only get better for us.”

Van den Bogaert is in contention to play away to Concord Rangers today but wide midfielder Sam Deering misses out due to a one-match ban.

Hawks are next at home in the FA Cup to Dulwich Hamlet next weekend and King would like to see an improvement in the gate figure at the Enclosed Ground.

He said: “As a team we are playing some fantastic football. In the first half especially on Tuesday we were excellent.

“Our fan base is growing but it is more our hardcore fan base. With the football we are playing the players deserve to have more people coming through the gate to watch them.”