Football: Indomitable defence
by HUGH SULLIVAN
Hastings United 1,
Cray Wanderers 0
Hastings United rose to seventh position in the Isthmian Premier League last Saturday after four straight wins – two at home, two away. Only one goal was conceded altogether in those matches: a 2-1 victory over Folkestone Invicta on 7 February was followed by 2-0 success away to Corinthian Casuals, 3-0 over Kingstonian, then 1-0 back home against Cray.
Saturday’s crowd of 863 spectators at Pilot Field saw a triumph of defensive discipline and resilience. The first half was a fairly even affair, both sides taking time to adapt to a bobbly pitch and swirling wind. Ben Pope put the ‘U’s ahead from close in after Ryan Worrall’s rifled drive from outside the penalty area ricocheted to him.
In the second half, however, possession was largely ceded to the visitors, as United’s central midfield pair, Worrall and Jack Dixon, played ever deeper. Cray fed the ball out to their flanks, won a host of corners and lofted a regular stream of crosses into the Hastings penalty area. There, despite contest from some tall attackers, Craig Stone, Alex Brefo and Jake Elliott proved indomitable, heading or booting the ball clear time after time. There was simply no way through them, and goalkeeper Louis Rogers enjoyed a relatively untroubled afternoon between the posts.
It’s been the pattern of the season so far. A glance at the league table confirms that all six teams ahead of Hastings have scored markedly more goals, but only leaders Bishops Stortford have conceded less. On Saturday’s showing this defensive record may keep propelling the ‘U’s up to the fringes of the play-off places (second to fifth will qualify). Will it be enough to maintain their challenge through the remaining 12 games? It could be.
The telling statistics are that the ‘U’s have won 15 and lost only three matches against teams outside the top four in the league table – but lost all six matches (three at home, three away) against those four, with only two goals scored and 12 conceded. Thus, at the highest level, they have been found consistently wanting.
However, the good news is that only two of the last 12 fixtures pit them against these apparently superior teams. If they can keep defeating the lesser sides, they could well sneak through into a play-off position – and then who knows?
They learnt last week that they will have to do it without their most skilful attacker on the ball, Tom Chalmers, who has suffered an ACL tear that will keep him out of the side for many months. Sam Hasler is also currently out of contention with a shoulder injury.
In Saturday’s game Kane Penn supplied some attacking verve from full-back. Ben Pope was his usual combative self, and Sam Adams inspired more incisive passing when he was brought on as substitute in the second half. But the role of a strike partner for Pope remains unresolved. David Smith, a loanee from Bromley, and young academy graduate Freddie Legg had both scored against Kingstonian in midweek, but neither made any great impact against Cray.
Manager Gary Elphick has plugged the gap in his ranks with a succession of short-term loans. But there’s a problem in that. If the loanee is a success – step forward, Joe Gbode of Gillingham, who led the line with aplomb earlier in the season – he’s likely to be recalled by his parent club.
There’s a further question of whether United have a big enough squad as further fixtures come thick and fast. On Tuesday this week (21 February) they were due to play again at Pilot Field against Essex strugglers Bowers & Pitsea, then tomorrow (Saturday) they travel to Carshalton, who retain play-off ambitions of their own. Don’t expect too many goals at either end in that one.
| Club | P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| 1 | B. Stortford | 30 | 19 | 5 | 6 | 49 | 23 | 62 |
| 2 | Aveley | 32 | 18 | 6 | 8 | 52 | 33 | 60 |
| 3 | Hornchurch | 28 | 17 | 5 | 6 | 69 | 33 | 56 |
| 4 | Enfield Town | 29 | 16 | 7 | 6 | 57 | 30 | 55 |
| 5 | Canvey Island | 30 | 16 | 6 | 8 | 50 | 32 | 54 |
| 6 | Cray Wanderers | 32 | 13 | 12 | 7 | 54 | 36 | 51 |
| 7 | Hastings Utd | 30 | 15 | 6 | 9 | 40 | 25 | 51 |
| 8 | Carshalton | 31 | 15 | 6 | 10 | 39 | 36 | 51 |
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