Coming into Hastings’s third pre-season game away from home against Lewes, it was announced prior to the game that there would be a few new arrivals, and with Archie Cassidy being one of them, who predicted the others being Ollie Black and Tom Chalmers?
The last time both Ollie and Tom featured for Hastings was back at the end of the 2023-2024 season when the U’s drew 0-0 away to Canvey Island in the final game of the season. In addition to both returning, it was also announced that Tom Chalmers was named as the club captain for this coming season.
Relishing in his new role as club captain, and wanting to use those long throws, both Ollie and Tom were named in the starting 11 alongside some other new trialists, with Ronnie Dolan occupying the midfield and Harry Haines starting in goal.
First Half:
The conditions could not have been better as the sun was shining with both teams raring to go.
Hastings kicked off from right to left in their sky blue kit and had the first effort of the half when a failed defensive clearance from the Lewes backline saw Freddie Legg strike the ball cleanly but fired over the crossbar. Fin Chapman had an effort charged down moments later.
The hosts took a little while to get back into the game, however after finding an opportunity to break the lines down the Hastings right, a through ball chipped in behind saw a lapse of concentration in the Hastings defence resulting in a Lewes making a run to perfection to the ball, driving forward and firing low past Haines into the bottom right hand corner giving The Rooks a 1-0 lead.
Former Hastings goalkeeper Louis Rogers had very little to do in the first half until a free kick from Ronnie Dolan went narrowly wide of the left hand post. Hastings were seeing momentum going forward but opportunities to force the Lewes no.1 into making any real saves were between far and few.
A Lewes corner up the other end was dealt with by Haines after the Hastings defence failed to clear their lines whilst the last action off the first half resulted in Lewes outmuscling a Hastings player in the middle third and saw them break down the Hastings right which saw a direct and low shot flashing wide of Haines’s right hand post. How fortunate Hastings were it did not end up elsewhere.
Second Half:
A few changes were made with Hastings attacking from left to right this time.
A spell of dominance early on from The Rooks saw an effort being kept out before being blocked on the second attempt.
Both teams had scrappy spells with neither team managing to keep hold of the ball. Around the midway point, and Ronnie Dolan broke up the play in the midfield driving forward inside the penalty box and with having the option to shoot, decided to lay the ball off to a trialist who from only 5 yards out, made no mistake and drew Hastings level.
With the score being all level, both teams were upping the tempo and Lewes went straight up the other end with an effort that was charged down by a Hastings played which then resulted in Fin Chapman winning the ball back for Hastings and playing in a trialist, who struck the ball with some force, which equally matched a very impressive strong hand from Louis Rogers in the Lewes goal keeping the ball out and going behind for a Hastings corner.
A draw may have been coming, however a moment on the Hastings backline saw a mistake allowing a Lewes player to shoot into an open goal restoring their lead back to 2-1.
Hastings did not give up and a free kick which came off the crossbar was questioned by several fans nearby who were adamant that Rogers got a touch to tip the ball onto the crossbar. Certainly the linesman shared with the fans nearby no such touch occurred.
Haines and Hastings were under the cosh for the latter few stages of the game, being kept busy as The Rooks had two chances which should have killed the game off. After a break down the right, an effort was heading for the bottom corner which saw Joe Clifford get back in time to clear off the line with Haines beaten. Miraculously though, Haines got himself back up and adjusted himself in time to beat the second attempt away from danger.
A Rooks free kick late on somehow was headed back across the face of goal and then headed over from a player in a red shirt. The Hastings defence were lucky it did not result in 3
And it was just as well it did not, as Haines and the Hastings defence pulled together to produce some more last ditch defending and keep the ball out from the goal with the Hastings no.1 getting down low producing a fine low diving save.
With the final score finishing 2-1, it is now onto Tuesday evening as Hastings take on Roffey away hoping to get back to winning ways.
Match Report: Tom Dyson-Laurie
