Out third Pre Season Friendly saw the U’s travel to Haywards Heath
Tom Dyson-Laurie was our man at the ground
With the weather in question as to if the game was going ahead, Hastings United travelled back down to West Sussex for the second Saturday running, this time visiting Haywards Heath.
Wearing the same kit from Tuesday evenings game against Whitehawk, 4 changes were made to the starting 11 from the Whitehawk game with Trialist A getting a start alongside Charlie Bull, James Hull and Tom Vickers. Charlie Scarles and Harry Thompson were on the substitutes bench whilst there was no Dan Hull in either the starting 11 or substitutes bench.
FIRST HALF
As a glimpse of sunlight slowly emerged, it worked in Hastings’s favour early on as Finn Chapman was bought down for a free kick. The resulting free kick which came back off the woodwork ended up with neither side doing anything with the ball, before Dean Gunner found himself in the right place at the right time to poke the ball into the goal opening his Hastings account giving Hastings a 1-0 lead within the first 3 minutes of the game.
Despite United being in the lead, the hosts were coming back into the game as an effort from 15-20 yards out was heading towards the bottom corner which came back of the post and into play leaving Finn Holter in goal watching on in relief it did not go in as the U’s managed clear their lines.
Another effort shortly after from the hosts who were looking ruthless with the ball, saw a long throw in on the right hand side headed outside the penalty area and volleyed just over the crossbar first time.
Down the other end and Tom Vickers played a delightful through ball to Freddie Legg who took a touch into space and struck a powerful effort which flashed just wide to the right of the keepers post.
Yet again, and the hosts were showing signs of wanting to get an equaliser by half-time only to be halted by Dean Gunner who produced a superb header off the line after Hastings failed to get rid of the ball and with Heath coming forward at Hastings with direction and pace down the right and through the middle it was inevitable there were to be more goals in the game.
A Hastings counter attack saw James Hull play the ball out wide to Freddie Legg who struck low and with the keeper clawing the ball away, Hull was inches away from getting a touch to the ball to put it in the goal, but the Heath defenders prevented him from doing so by getting their bodies in the way at the last minute.
Hastings kept going and JJ Walker used his strength to hold off a Haywards Heath player and saw him clip a pass into Legg who struck low at the keeper rather than squaring it to Hull.
How different it could have been if it was taken as Heath went up the other end and drew level. 1-1 resulted in Heath then turning the game around after a through ball saw a breakdown in communication between Gunner and Holter with both players going to the same ball and the latter out of his goal, the ball fell to a Heath player who from 15-20 yards out had an easy job of firing the ball into an open goal and giving the home side a 2-1 lead moments before half time.
Heath weren’t done there and a cross from the right over to the left saw one of their players take the ball down superbly. Fortunately for Hastings, the shot came back off their own player.
SECOND HALF
Two subs made were made and it was not long before Finn Holter was called into action pulling of a tremendous save from close range keeping the score at 2-1.
Hastings’s best chance of the second half came when an inswinging corner from Freddie Legg was headed wide by Gunner.
Heath who were relentless since scoring their second goal went on to get a third after another counter attack this time – Holter having no chance keeping the ball out. 3 could have become 4 moments only for Holter to deny Heath by keeping the ball out with his legs from close range.
A late effort from second half substitute Callum Barlow saw his effort on target which was deflected into the keepers hands after a loose pass. It was the time in the second half that the Haywards Heath keeper had to be called into action, as he was rarely troubled with very little to do.
3-1 to Haywards Heath it finished as the long pre-season commutes draw to a close with Hastings traveling to Westfield on Tuesday evening in just 3 days time looking to bounce back to winning ways.
Tom Dyson-Laurie
