FOOTBALL: Getting to Know You
9 August: Hastings Utd 0, Erith Town 0
HUGH SULLIVAN
Last season, 2024-25, Hastings and Erith were two leagues apart. While United were being relegated back from the Isthmian Premier League (tier 7 of the football pyramid) to the South East Division, the Kent side based at Thamesmead were finishing fourth in the Southern Counties East League (tier 9) and then winning the play-offs to gain promotion. A combative and muscular bunch, they arrived at the Pilot Field last Saturday looking to establish themselves at tier 8, and were apparently content to emerge with a no-score away draw on their first outing.
Very few of this season’s Hastings side, for their part, are familiar with their home surroundings, and for the 850-odd crowd – down on last season but still comfortably the highest of any match in this division on the opening day–it was similarly an occasion for taking stock of an almost wholly new cast of characters. Who will last the course of 50 league games between now and next April is anyone’s guess.
Young players who caught the eye in the new United strip (more blue, less claret) were midfielder Charlie Ball, winger Dadigildo Cravid and fullback Joe Clifford, each prepared to go forward with the ball at pace. But on a dry, bumpy pitch – the result of drought conditions over much of the summer – and given little protection by a referee who allowed strong-arm defenders to exert muscle power (at both ends, to be fair), goal-scoring chances were few and far between. Centre forward Callum Barlow suffered a particularly frustrating afternoon, paid rough attention by a couple of Erith centre backs and frequently wrestled to the ground.
Hastings defenders, Dean Gunner, Charlie Paye and Dan Hull, themselves limited the visiting attack to very few inroads on goal and, behind them, goalkeeper Harley Earle looked assured.
Stand-out player for United was Brad Barry, former Eastbourne Borough captain, whose ability to find pockets of space in midfield and pick out a pass was clear evidence that he has played at more illustrious levels. But whether he’ll remain physically fit to have the team built round him must be a concern for manager Lee Carey. Even on Saturday he appeared to limp through the latter stages of the contest.
Hastings were due to play a further league game on Wednesday this week at home to Eastbourne Town, then an FA Cup preliminary round tie against Harrow Borough (Isthmian South Central Division) tomorrow (Saturday). Carey has a big enough squad to ring changes for these matches – so more first impressions for ‘U’s supporters.
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