Unbeaten Run Ended by League Leaders
Hastings United 0, Hornchurch 3
Hastings United’s two-month unbeaten run in the Isthmian League – four victories and three draws since defeat at Enfield on 5 November – came to an end last Saturday when they were defeated 3-0 by leaders Hornchurch at Pilot Field.
The game pitted the league’s top scorers against the league’s meanest defence: Hastings having conceded only 15 goals (and scored 28) in their 21 matches to date, Hornchurch having netted 50 in theirs, (whilst conceding 24). If those statistics suggested that the ‘U’s would mass in defence in order to repel the visitors’ attack, the opposite was the case.
The home team were on the front foot for most of the encounter, pressing forward and bringing the Hornchurch goalkeeper into frequent action: Jahmal Hector-Ingram shot just wide; a cross from Knory Scott was deflected off a defender to hit a post but stayed out; Ben Pope and Jake Elliott both headed over; Sam Adams, brought on as substitute, went close late on. At the other end Hornchurch made far fewer chances – but were clinical with them, scoring three times without reply.
United manager, Gary Elphick, will not feel that his side deserved to lose, let alone by the eventual margin inflicted. On another day a similarly committed performance would have won at least a point, perhaps all three. However, he must continue to rue the lack of a striker who can turn attacking intent into goals netted.
He will also hope that Tom Chalmers, who limped off early in the previous match at Horsham (a 0-0 draw) and missed the Hornchurch game, will make a speedy recovery from injury.
Without the midfielder’s speed and trickery on the ball, the ability of Elphick’s men to make openings at this level is clearly much reduced.
United will have played another home fixture this week – against Folkestone Invicta on Tuesday, after this column went to press – and then have games against two of the league’s bottom three: away at Brightlingsea tomorrow (Saturday), and home to Bowers & Pitsea next Tuesday.
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