Isthimian League South East Division
The Pilot Field, Hastings
Admission: Season Ticket
Programme: None
Attendance: 400
Armed with a season ticket at Hastings United this season, this would only be the club's second home game of the season, after the delayed start to the season, which only finally commenced on 19th September, and the originally scheduled second home game for Hastings against Three Bridges was postponed due to the club's progress in the FA Cup.
After watching Hastings secure a goalless draw against Cray Valley PM on the opening game of the season, they followed that up with two further goalless draws - although one of those, in the FA Cup against Chesham United, was then won on penalties. Finally, after scoring just once but not conceding any in the club's opening four games, goals have started to flow. Last Saturday, they drew 2-2 away at National League South outfit Ebbsfleet United in the FA Cup, before losing on penalties, whilst in midweek, they had a thumping 1-5 win away at Haywards Heath Town in the league. So, they came into this game with five pints from three games, following a win and two draws. After opening their season with a 6-0 defeat to Cray Valley in the FA Cup, today's visitors VCD Athletic have had a perfect start to their league season, winning all four of their league games so far, scoring 14 goals in the process, and four in each of their last three games. With a four point lead in the table, they were guaranteed to remain top no matter the result today.
Once again, this game was a sell-out, with only around 130 tickets available after the 270 season ticket holders account for the currently permitted capacity of 400. Infortunately programmes are still not being produced by Hastings, but at least there does seem to still be hopes that they will issue soon, as it seems that many people are still asking about them.
On an afternoon that was mild but mostly overcast except for the odd spell where bright sunshine shone through, VCD's approach to the game was rather surprising, given that they should have been high on confidence following their perfect start to the season, as they adopted a defensive approach, willing to allow Hastings to have the ball and soak up pressure. Perhaps this is a measure of how highly fancied Hastings are to do well this season. And so this was a game that Hastings mostly controlled, but one that they nearly paid the price for not putting to bed. The home side had the first clear chance on 15 minutes, Sam Adams seeing his shot saved, and as the ball spilt to the left of goal, Kenny Pogue drove the ball just high of the far post. But on 25 minutes, Hastings did take the lead, Oliver Black pulling the ball back low from the byline for Adams to strike the ball first time from the six yard box, and although the shot came back off the underside of the bar, he was first to tap the ball home virtually on the line. They were almost gifted a second, when a back pass to the keeper was intercepted by Ben Pope and run through on goal, but the keeper did well to grab the ball from his feet.
VCD did have a few sights at goal at the start of the second half. Three minutes after the break, a free kick was pumped into the box from deep, and their striker headed the ball home, but he fouled the keeper in doing so and the goal was ruled out. And three minutes later, following a corner, Paul Vines drilled a fierce shot that the Hastings keeper beat away. Hastings weathered those chances, and then reasserted their control of the game, and the seemingly inevitable second goal came on 70 minutes. After a blocked shot rebounded off a defender and only just went wide of the post, the resultant corner was floated towards the back post, and after Gary Elphick's header came back off the post, Tom Chalmers tapped the ball into the roof of the net from very close range. They had good chances to put the game beyond doubt, but it was VCD who pulled a goal back on 84 minutes, after Vines headed the ball across the goal and Milli Hysi drilled it low into the bottom right corner. All of a sudden, the result was in doubt as VCD pushed hard for an equaliser, and on 89 minutes, after a ball was looped over the defence for Vines to run onto, but his shot from the edge of the area was parried by the keeper. But Hastings held on to claim the three points, with the outcome a lot closer than it really should have been.
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