FOOTBALL: Dissent Punished in Derby Defeat
3 February:
Kingstonian 1, Hastings Utd 3
6 February:
Hastings Utd 0, Horsham 2
10 February:
Hastings Utd 1, Lewes 3
HUGH SULLIVAN
A comfortable away win for the ‘U’s at Kingstonian on 3 February elevated them to fourth in the Isthmian Premier League table. Two damaging home defeats have followed, however, leaving them bunched again with a number of teams on the fringe of the (top five) play-off places.
Jack Dixon heading out against Lewes
The loss to local rivals Lewes last Saturday was particularly disappointing to the majority home supporters in a crowd of over 2,750 at the Pilot Field. Many vented their anger at referee Elliott Mayer, who sent Jack Dixon off for dissent and verbal abuse shortly before halftime, leaving the ‘U’s – already a goal down – to play the rest of the game with only ten men. However, Dixon has past form in this regard, and manager Chris Agutter will surely have felt his own frustration at his team’s collective lack of discipline under the pressure of the occasion.
Torrents of rain had fallen over the previous couple of days, and a light drizzle continued through the match. Lewes must have thought they had brought their home pitch (‘The Dripping Pan’) with them, as the defective guttering of the main Hastings stand deposited a steady dribble of water throughout. In the circumstances, the ground staff should be commended for the durability of the pitch, passed as playable in an inspection four hours before kick-off and justifying that assessment. Both sides, too, showed commendable skill and ball-control, considering the conditions.
The visitors’ forwards, though, were quicker on the counter-attack, and after 20 minutes a slick exchange of passes put the extravagantly named Kalvin Lumbobo-Kalala through to round ‘U’s goalkeeper Charlie Grainger and slide the ball into the net from a tight angle.
Hastings looked to get back on level terms by finding space on the wings – John Ufuah on the left, Freddie Legg on the right. Legg became involved in a series of tangles with the Lewes left back, and was penalised three times within a few minutes for sending him sprawling. Both the Hastings player and sections of the supporting crowd vented frustration at the referee’s decisions in favour of the defender.
Then, when Legg finally burst through and set up a chance for Ufuah, the latter seemed to have his legs taken from under him in the penalty area. The referee dismissed penalty claims. As the crowd became further incensed, Tommy Fagg raced 20 yards to confront Mr Mayer and was arguably lucky to receive only a yellow card. However, almost immediately, Dixon was also yellow-carded for showing dissent. He continued to make antagonistic gestures, appeared to shout further abuse, and was sent off.
Dixon is a former Lewes player and no doubt as keen to see Hastings triumph over them as he was last August when playing for Whitehawk against the ‘U’s. On that occasion he lasted just ten minutes against the team he had previously captained before being dismissed – a striking precedent.
Be that as it may, United’s ten men fought gamely through the second half. A second goal for Lumumbo-Kalala in the 62nd minute, converting a low cross from the right, seemed to have put Lewes beyond reach. But Davide Rodari scored a crisp penalty after Finley Chapman, substituting for the ineffective Fagg, had been tripped in the area, and the home side continued to press forward in hopes of an equaliser, only dashed when a third goal was conceded late in added time.
Next up in the league is an away trip to Potters Bar Town, followed by a hosting of league leaders Hornchurch. Femi Akinwande, who was banging in goals for Hastings at the beginning of the season, will be leading the Essex team’s attack after being transferred across in November.
Isthmian Premier League standings as at 28 January
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | ||
| 1 | Hornchurch | 28 | 20 | 7 | 1 | 68 | 23 | 67 |
| 2 | Chatham Town | 30 | 18 | 4 | 8 | 61 | 43 | 58 |
| 3 | Billericay Town | 29 | 17 | 3 | 9 | 49 | 25 | 54 |
| 4 | Wingate & Finchley | 29 | 17 | 3 | 10 | 56 | 50 | 51 |
| 5 | Hastings Utd | 30 | 14 | 6 | 10 | 54 | 42 | 48 |
| 6 | Enfield Town | 28 | 14 | 6 | 8 | 54 | 43 | 48 |
| 7 | Bognor Regis | 28 | 12 | 10 | 6 | 46 | 36 | 46 |
| 8 | Carshalton | 30 | 12 | 8 | 10 | 56 | 46 | 44 |
| 9 | Lewes | 28 | 13 | 5 | 10 | 47 | 49 | 44 |
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