Isthmian League South East Division
Pilot Field, Hastings
Admission: Season Ticket
Programme: None
Attendance: 400
For the second consecutive Tuesday, I had the welcome option of cheap (virtually free) evening out at the Pilot Field. This game had looked in some doubt though, with persistent rain falling all day, provoking a 4pm pitch inspection. Happily, that inspection was passed, and with the rain forecast to stop ahead of kick-off, I made my way for this very interesting looking Sussex derby.
Following last Tuesday's fairly comfortable 3-0 home win against Three Bridges, Hastings won 0-1 at Sevenoaks Town, to rise to the top of the table, following four wins and two draws from their opening six league games, to return to the place they sat in when last season was abandoned. Whitehawk were in fourth place in the table when last season was abandoned, eleven points inside the play-off positions, but they have had a slow start to this season, coming into this game in 16th place in the 19 club division, following a win and two draws from their opening five league games.
On a dry and fairly mild evening, this was a very even game which could have gone either way, with Whitehawk creating some decent chances and can probably count themselves as unfortunate to come out of the game pointless. Hastings were already missing defender Ollie Black as he started a three match suspension, and with just seven minutes gone, fellow defender Gary Elphick had to be substituted. And the visitors certainly seemed to try to take advantage, and on 17 minutes, Lucas Rodrigues turned quickly and struck a shot which was blocked, to send the ball up in the air and land on the bar. On 22 minutes, Rodrigues span past a defender by the half way line to run towards the penalty area before unleashing a powerful shot which went just past the far post. Then, it was Hastings to have a couple of decent chances. On 32 minutes, Sam Adams curled the ball just over the bar from the edge of the area, and from the resultant goalkick, which was struck weakly, Tom Chalmers gained possession to play the ball to the right of the penalty area and Ben Pope just about won the race to the ball before the keeper, but Pope's attempted chip was just blocked by the keeper's hand. The remainder of the half saw Hastings try to gain control of the game with possession football, and the scoreline remained goalless at the break.
Whitehawk again came out on the front foot, and within a minute of the restart, Connor Tighe struck a shot from outside the area which bounced off the post, and shortly after, Rodrigues intercepted the ball but his pass across goal just evaded a tap in. But on 50 minutes, it was Hastings who broke the deadline. The Whitehawk keeper played the ball to his defender, but Hastings' Kenny Pogue won the ball with a good tackle by the left edge of the penalty area, before curling the ball into the net, despite brushing past the keeper on its way. Both sides then created some decent chances, and gradually Hastings seized more control of the game, and on 72 minutes, Goldsmith sent in an inviting cross from the right, and Tom Chalmers saw his first time shot hit the bar. But Hastings did double their lead on 78 minutes, following a lovely slide rule pass through the Whitehawk defence for Ben Pope to run onto and slot past the keeper. After an even, well contested game, it was looking like the home side were now easing to victory, but six minutes from time, Whitehawk pulled a goal back, sub Lloyd Cotton heading home a corner from close range. As expected, that really gave the impetus to the visitors, but it was Hastings who came closest to scoring again, two minutes into added on time, when following a Whitehawk corner, Ryan Worrall cleared the ball upfield to Aaron Capon on the halfway line, and he ran forward, rounded the keeper but his goalbound shot was blocked by a defender. And so a very entertaining game, with terrific vocal support from both sets of supporters throughout, ended in a narrow victory for Hastings, which sent them four points clear at the top. Whitehawk impressed considering their league position, and it surely will not be long before they climb the table.
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