FOOTBALL: ‘U’s Stay in Contention
HARINGEY BOROUGH 0, HASTINGS UTD 5
HASTINGS UTD 2, FOLKESTONE INVICTA 1
BOGNOR REGIS TOWN 0, HASTINGS UTD 1
HUGH SULLIVAN
As of last weekend, Hastings United remained in contention for a play-off position (fifth or better) in the Isthmian Premier League after three successive victories either side of Easter. That left them in seventh position, two points below both Billericay Town in fifth and Horsham in sixth, with five games left to play. That’s two more than Billericay have and one more than Wingate & Finchley, who are fourth, but a game less than Horsham.
John Ufuah in action against Horsham last month
The matches on Tuesday evening of this week (after this column has gone to press) may have proved pivotal. Hastings were due to travel to Wingate & Finchley, while at the same time, just a few miles up the road, Horsham will have been hosted by Potters Bar Town. Hastings surely needed at least to match Horsham’s result; securing all three points whilst Horsham haven’t would be even better.
But, at the time of writing, that’s just speculation. In the lead-up, the ‘U’s and their supporters can reflect on three contrasting performances: a convincing drubbing of Haringey on Good Friday; a stuttering home win over Folkestone on Easter Monday; and a gritty victory at Bognor Regis last Saturday..
Against Haringey, Hastings took the field with captain Adam Lovatt rested for the first hour on the subs’ bench. Freddie Legg and Finley Chapman were given places in the starting line-up, and each scored a second half goal to add to an early opener by Jordy Mongoy and additions by Sam Gale and Davide Rodari. A surprise entry as substitute for Mongoy for the last ten minutes was veteran midfielder Sam Adams, whom manager Chris Agutter has persuaded to sign up (sharing dual registration with Lydd Town) for the last few weeks of the season.
HOLIDAY CROWD
Against Folkestone, before a holiday crowd of over 1,700, Hastings scored in their first attack. Ollie Black’s towering throw from the right touchline bounced kindly for Rodari, and he volleyed smartly into the roof of the net. United then seemed on course for another goal-fest, with John Ufuah showing he had the beating of his man down the left wing. Sam Cruttwell drilled a series of long balls in that direction from deep, and in the 36th minute his precise chip over the defence allowed Ufuah to sprint clear and toe the ball over the onrushing goalkeeper to put the ‘U’s two up.
But Folkestone hit back shortly before halftime with David Smith’s well-executed finish after some slack defending in the home penalty area, and Hastings played much of the second half in passive mood, keeping eight or nine men behind the ball, and offering little service to Rodari and Ufuah up front. The 2-1 score-line remained undisturbed, and Agutter will have been pleased with the three points, but it wasn’t the performance of promotion hunters.
Bognor Regis Town had lost only three home league games out of 19 before they hosted Hastings, so the latter’s 1-0 win was a notable scalp, rendered all the more valuable by the news of Horsham losing 3-1 at Folkestone on the same day. Agutter gave an interview afterwards, lamenting that the ‘U’s had got themselves in good positions, particularly in the first half, but spoilt them by poor final balls or wayward finishing. The winning goal came from a Rodari penalty after Chapman had been brought down. Hastings had to withstand late pressure from the home side, but Agutter praised his whole team for their focus on keeping a clean sheet in defence, with goalkeeper Charlie Grainger having little to do.
Tomorrow (Saturday) Hastings entertain Whitehawk at the Pilot Field, then play their last home fixture of the season the following Saturday (20 April) against third- placed Enfield Town. At this stage only more victories will suffice.
Isthmian League Table as at 7 April (top seven)
| P | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | ||
| 1 | Hornchurch | 37 | 27 | 7 | 3 | 88 | 29 | 88 |
| 2 | Chatham Town | 39 | 23 | 6 | 10 | 82 | 56 | 75 |
| 3 | Enfield Town | 38 | 20 | 10 | 8 | 73 | 50 | 70 |
| 4 | Wingate & F. | 38 | 21 | 6 | 11 | 71 | 58 | 69 |
| 5 | Billericay Town | 39 | 20 | 4 | 15 | 69 | 47 | 64 |
| 6 | Horsham | 36 | 19 | 7 | 10 | 55 | 46 | 64 |
| 7 | Hastings Utd | 37 | 18 | 8 | 11 | 66 | 47 | 62 |
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