EASTBOURNE TOWN 0-2 HASTINGS UNITED
Kicking off the opening weekend of the Isthmian South East winning 2-1 at The Pilot Field against AFC Croydon Athletic and achieving his first league win as Hastings United player-manager, Ronnie Dolan made one change to the starting eleven for his first away game as player-manager with Sam Pidgeon coming back into the starting eleven instead of Robbie Dolan, whilst Joe Clifford and new signing Warren Mfula were named on the substitutes bench.
First Half:
Hastings kicked off the first half and played from right to left seeing plenty of the ball in the Eastbourne Town half but failed to test Chris Winterton in the Eastbourne Town goal. United had a number of set pieces including throw ins, in the town half which rarely troubled Winterton.
The first opportunity of the game came for the hosts when a lofted pass was played in behind Sam Pidgeon and Ollie Black and the latter failed to intercept the ball which fell at the feet of Sonny Walsh who fired an effort over the crossbar and off target.
Harry Haines in the Hastings goal who alongside his opposite number in the Eastbourne Town goal was rarely troubled however both keepers were called into action when needed.
Alfie Rogers had the first effort on target with United not winning the first header when in behind and getting a shot away with Haines gathering the ball comfortably.
The game sprung into life from that with Erskine having Hastings’s first chance of the game with a shot going narrowly wide of the right hand post before Freddie Legg struck a fierce effort which was heading goal bound stinging the palms of Chris Winterton.
A similar pattern of play from Eastbourne Town nearly resulted in a calm and copy moment with the ball being played in behind the Hastings defence and an off balance shot went over the crossbar not troubling Haines.
With Legg having the best chance for the U’s, Walsh came even closer to breaking the deadlock after a scuffed clearance from Winterton saw the U’s intercept and drive high up the pitch. Erskine picked out Walsh who made a superb run on the outside of him and with Winterton rushing out to meet Walsh, his left footed strike was cleared off the line.
It was not long though before the deadlock did get broken, and having scored four at The Oval against Eastbourne United less than six weeks ago, it could be said that Kesna Clarke might enjoy scoring against Eastbourne teams as a superb through ball from Walsh in the middle of the pitch picked out Clarke who drove through and a low effort which was rolling goal bound trickled in with the help of the post, opening his account in a Hastings shirt. The mood and celebrations amongst the Hastings fans to the right who had travelled in good numbers was euphoric.
With half-time approaching and one last attack from the hosts saw a strike from the edge of the
box being kept out by Haines to his bottom left getting an important hand to the ball to ensure a first half clean sheet was achieved.
1-0 to the U’s at the break and with plenty of set-pieces for the U’s in the town half, United may have felt that there may be opportunities within the second half to get another goal and convert them.
Second Half:
With Hastings playing from left to right in the second half, the U’s were forced into making an early change with Fin Chapman coming on for Ollie Black. Goalbound opportunities were far from few until Hastings were awarded a free kick just outside the town penalty box and a spectacular Max Walsh strike has nestling for the top corner only for Winterton to pull off a smart save getting the slightest of fingertips to the ball to divert it behind for a corner.
If anyone looked like scoring next, it would have been Hastings who were growing in momentum. With a number of throw ins and corners in particular which rarely troubled the Eastbourne Town goal, an attack down the Hastings right saw Legg play a low cross into the box, which to many people’s disbelief somehow avoided everyone with no one making a connection to the ball.
Warren Mfula was bought on for his Hastings debut replacing Kesna Clarke at which point, the alk of a second goal nearby was what had been mentioned by spectators near the dugouts and if there was one person who demonstrated how important one was needed at such a vital time – enter Ronnie Dolan.
Another Hastings attack saw the ball get cleared to the edge of the bo yellow shirt closing down the vacant space, Dolan seized upon the opportunity to have a crack, and just what a crack – hitting the ball first time from a good 20+ yards out. The strike was hit with some force, power and whistled past Winterton in the Eastbourne Town goal into the top corner doubling Hastings’s lead and the celebrations amongst the away support just grew one notch louder with Ronnie celebrating amongst the thick of the fans.
With the noise of the Hastings fans growing louder in The Saffrons all evening than the chimes in the clock tower overlooking the ground, Haines was barely called into action at any point in the second half.
A goalmouth scramble in the Hastings half from an Eastbourne Town corner was not dealt with properly with neither side able to get the ball goalbound or away from their goal which they were defending.
Eventually after a few minutes of both teams scrapping to get the ball off each other, the ball was charged down and ended up over the crossbar out of play and behind for a goal kick. The referee put his whistle to his mouth after that and blew for full-time with H astings getting theirfirst away win of this season winning 2-0. Just how important a clean sheet proved to be also.
Match Report: Tom Dyson-Laurie
Match Report: Tom Dyson-Laurie
