FOOTBALL: United Struggle Despite Hull’s Goals
27 Sept: Three Bridges 4, Hastings Utd 2
30 Sept: Sheppey Utd 0, Hastings Utd 3
4 Oct: Hastings Utd 1, Faversham Town 2
HUGH SULLIVAN
Hastings United recorded their first win since mid-August last Tuesday (30 September), when they travelled to Sheppey and came away with a 3-0 win. However, this victory has been sandwiched between two narrow defeats inflicted by teams making the running at the top of the Isthmian South-East league table. Three Bridges and Faversham (current first and third respectively) provided challenges which the men in claret-and-blue couldn’t quite match.
Away at Three Bridges on 27 September, the ‘U’s trailed 1-0 at halftime, then were buoyed by a superb 25-yard strike by young winger Jack Lyons early in the second half. The home side regained the lead almost immediately, but James Hull, replacing recent recruit Bruno Tavares up front, scored a second equaliser, and for a while United looked the likelier winners, only to concede two late goals.
It’s been a pattern of this season’s campaign: but for a 95th minute goal they would have won their FA Cup tie at Faversham in August; a 91st minute equaliser deprived them of a win at Sittingbourne on 16 September; Crowborough knocked them out of the Alan Turvey Cup on 24 September with a 94th minute winner.
At Sheppey on 30 September, however, there were no late scares. Tavares put the ‘U’s ahead in the tenth minute, and Hull, again substituting for him in the second half, scored two more without reply. It was the first clean sheet achieved by the United defence in nine games.
Last Saturday, their opponents at the Pilot Field were Faversham – a third contest between the sides in ,Jack Lyonsjust over a month after two previous cup-ties. In the absence of Tavares, Hull played as principal striker from the start and notched his fourth goal in three matches. But by that time, the Kent side were 2-0 up after converting goal chances in either half, and they held on to doom their hosts to another defeat.
United’s next three opponents – AFC Whyteleafe, Sittingbourne and Merstham – are all from the top eight of the divisional table. Manager Lee Carey has been insisting that the team has been showing “plenty of positive signs”. League points are what they need right now.
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