FOOTBALL: United Looking Up
20 December: Hastings Utd 3, Sheppey United 2
27 December: Ashford Utd 1, Hastings Utd 0
10 January: VCD Athletic 0, Hastings Utd 3
HUGH SULLIVAN
An eventually comfortable 3-0 victory for Hastings United last Saturday at Dartford against VCD Athletic confirmed that the Pilot Field side should be looking up rather than down the Isthmian League table over the remainder of the season. They are a long way off a play-off place – still 16 points and 11 places below current fifth-placed team AFC Whyteleafe. But they’re also now 11 points above the drop zone, and playing with a belief that their dismal early season form belongs in the past.
At home to Sheppey United on the Saturday before Christmas, the ‘U’s conceded an early goal but were 2-1 up at the break after goals scored by new recruit Lorenzo Lewis and centre forward James Stone. Freddie Legg extended the lead early in the second half; the Kent visitors pulled the score back to 3-2, but couldn’t find an equaliser.
There was no Boxing Day fixture, but a short trip to Ashford the following day. Both teams have been in good form of late, and it seemed for most of the afternoon that they would cancel each other out in a 0-0 draw. Not so: the home team scored in the last quarter to send the ‘U’s home pointless.
The scheduled game against Crowborough Athletic on 3 January was postponed after a morning inspection confirmed that the snow-flecked pitch was unplayable. Heavy rain from Storm Goretti also threatened the viability of the VCD pitch a week later, but it was pronounced fit, and both the United footballers and their loyal travelling support enjoyed their outing to the Thames estuary.
The first half remained goalless until the 41st minute when Walter Figueira set up Freddie Legg to shoot into the far corner, putting United ahead. Late in the second half debutant Damien Theodore was brought down in the penalty area for Jordan Mase to net his spot-kick. Then the same two players combined for a third goal, Theodore dancing past several opponents in a mazy run before supplying a pass for Mase to score from 20 yards.
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