FOOTBALL: United Back on Top
10 October: Sheppey Utd 1, Hastings Utd 2
13 October: Margate 2, Hastings Utd 2
17 October: Hastings Utd 2, Erith Town 0
HUGH SULLIVAN
Hastings United returned to the top of their league (Isthmian South East Division) last Saturday after two more wins and a draw – and their supporters are loving it.
Freddie Legg attacks Erith fullback
Crowds for the first league and FA Trophy games at the Pilot Field in August numbered around 600. Since then, further home attendances have averaged over 1,000 per game. And with four more successive home games scheduled over the next two weeks, starting with the hosting of near neighbours Eastbourne Town on Tuesday this week (after this newspaper went to press) followed by a Trophy cup-tie tomorrow (Saturday) against Waltham Abbey, there’s a buzz of anticipation that Ronnie Dolan’s team can continue their run of positive results.
In truth, the past fortnight’s results have been more impressive than the performances which earned them. At Sheppey on 10 October, Hastings struggled for much of the game to justify their higher league position and fell behind midway through the second half. But Freddie Legg, brought on as substitute for Mitchell Chapman, equalised from close in, and a minute later Kesna Clarke scored the winner.
Three days later at Margate, the ‘U’s conceded a goal in the second minute before hitting back with two goals from set pieces. Chapman put them level before halftime with a header from a corner. Then, in the second half, captain Tom Chalmers also headed in from a free kick, swung into the penalty box by Max Walsh. This time they couldn’t hold on to their 2-1 lead, the home side scoring their second five minutes later from a defensive error to earn a share of the points.
Last Saturday, third-placed Erith Town came to the Pilot Field and, though the ‘U’s had the majority of possession for the first 30 minutes, displayed a resilience in defence which the home side found hard to break down. Then their goalkeeper Henry Molyneux tussled with Legg and, in a moment’s loss of control, felled the Hastings midfielder with a seemingly deliberate blow. The referee had no option but to brandish a red card and award a penalty, smartly converted by Clarke past the substitute keeper. For the rest of the half, Hastings dominated their depleted opponents without adding to the score-line.
After the re-start the home team kept pressing and doubled their advantage in fortuitous fashion: Max Walsh’s speculative volley from a long throw by Ollie Black deflected off an Erith defender and looped high into the net. Further goals seemed sure to come, but on the contrary, Hastings’ attacking powers deflated as the game drew to a close.
Winger Callum Erskine was ineffective, and none of the substitutes Ayo Olasimbo, Warren-Hugues Mfula and Kian Moynes – the latter a surprise and welcome returnee to the Pilot Field – were able to make their mark. Ten-man Erith exerted some pressure of their own, and it was indicative that United’s man-of-the-match accolade was (deservedly) awarded to central defender Sam Pidgeon.
Isthmian League South East Division Top Four as at 18 October
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | |
| Hastings United | 11 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 26 | 15 | 25 |
| South Park (Reigate) | 12 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 26 | 14 | 24 |
| Erith Town | 10 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 24 | 11 | 20 |
| Faversham Town | 11 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 26 | 19 | 19 |
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