After the 2-4 win against Walton & Hersham it is another away game, now to
Hythe Town are currently the number 9 in the table- just one place below us - with the same points we have but 2 games more played.
They scored 47 and conceded 32 goals. Big trio for Hythe is without a doubt the 3 upfront. Alfie May scored 12, Frankie Sawyer 10 and newcomer Jack Harris in 6 games 5 goals.
They won their last 6 games, starting with a win against Folkestone 2-1 for a crowd of 1527. They won their last 9 home matches and scored 24 goals and conceded only 2.
The 'Cannons ' play at the Reachfields Stadium, Ford Road, Hythe.
And we? After the expected win against Walton we now face a huge test. Hythe is now the team in form and of course they have men upfront who can make the difference. Last season we won at home 2-1 and lost on New Year's Day 0-2. Only 2 players are left from that team in our squad. ( Ray and Adams ). Think it is a big game for us but not the decisive one. Hope a lot of Hastings supporters will make the trip and maybe watching another cracking goal from Sam Cruttwell ( https://twitter.com/ralston61200112/status/698573638031818752 ) thanks to the twitter account of them )
Have a safe journey and bring some good news back!
For once I would be more than happy to see this off. No Medlock, No Razor, possibly no Cole. Arguably our 3 best players and I suggest we need all of them to get anything from this game.
I Really don't understand it, I checked the weather for Hythe and at 10am it was 6 degrees with a sunny forecast which would have thawed any remaining frost on the pitch, and also we haven't had any rain for a few days so the pitch can't be waterlogged. Also 10am seems quite an early inspection as the team coach doesn't leave until 4pm,perhaps a midday inspection would be more appropriate.
The first team haven't played on their pitch for 10 days so it can't be that unfit for play.
It just puts more pressure on us as it will be another rearranged game but perhaps it is a blessing in disguise especially if we have 3 players out through injury and suspension.
The current problem is not the frost or current rainfall--it is that recent heavy rains have left us with some dangerous muddy areas which are deep enough to take a boot. This sort of thing takes several days to dry out and we just have not had that rain-free period. Leaving a decision until later would have had almost no effect although any sun is welcome.
It is also impossible to roll the pitch as any equipment would soon get stuck.
I believe that player's safety and the danger of injuries was the inspecting official's main concern. So we have an unrolled surface with 3 /4 areas where a player's foot could become dangerously stuck when making a turn or a tackle.
All very frustrating, but take a look at the form table and you will see that we really do not want to stop playing at the moment.
Farcical. When was the last time a Tuesday away game went ahead? In that time how many home matches have been played on a Tuesday and how many cancelled?
Hastings doesn't have its own climate if the Pilot Field pitch can be so well maintained with this weather why are all these other clubs failing? Granted, Hastings are lucky to have someone as good and dedicated as Simon who goes above and beyond so it is always a stretch for other clubs to compete. It makes you wonder what they are playing at though. I wonder what the rules are for providing a pitch, what steps need to be taken in the days leading up to the game?
sound like we were lucky in a way tonight with game off as Medlock would be a huge loss (why did he not play Saturday?) as well as Razor and Cole. I imagine Hythe was gutted not playing us tonight . yes big problem if we have any more postpone games as cant be many tuesday left now. if hythe know they have big problem with there pitch can they not arrange to play at other ground i would think the league should make that a rule if a club have lot of games off.
sound like we were lucky in a way tonight with game off as Medlock would be a huge loss (why did he not play Saturday?) as well as Razor and Cole. I imagine Hythe was gutted not playing us tonight . yes big problem if we have any more postpone games as cant be many tuesday left now. if hythe know they have big problem with there pitch can they not arrange to play at other ground i would think the league should make that a rule if a club have lot of games off.
As I have said it is frustrating but we have also been affected by other club's home fixtures being called off due to minor fixtures like the League Cup and County Cups as well as waterlogged pitches. This game could have gone ahead long ago if it were not for the league prioritising a competition that could have been played any time. Looks like we still have around 7 or 8 midweeks free so it's hardly time to be taking drastic action. One of the factors is that there are too many clubs in a division for this level of football.
So hopefully this game will be played on next Thursday.
After a very good run Hythe lost at home against Dorking 0-3 but last Saturday they beat Whyteleafe in the last minute 1-2.
Some familiar faces we will see: Dave Cook,Frankie Sawyer and also Jack Harris.
I already know what will happen in this one so not sure why I'm still going. 2-0 defeat with Sawyer (If he's still there) and Jack Harris scoring. Written in the script but really hope I'm wrong
I assume that the match is finally going ahead tonight and that all of our fit players are available to play, and also that the pitch is in a First Class condition!
No reason why it shouldn't be!
Shame that they couldn't have let this match be £1 for everyone to get in, perhaps it has something to do with our fantastic away support and that Walton Casuals wouldn't bring many if any fans down.
A draw is no good to both sides but a win would take either back into the play offs.
Who is Witchy, Winchy's missus? We are talking Hastings here guys, at the same time it would not surprise me in the slightest if we came back with a 3 or 4 goal win. Witchy Hastings will turn up? that is the question.
Outstanding performance by United who were on the wrong end of a refereeing display that was Vosperian in quality - those of you with long memories going back to 91-92 and the Wimborne FA Vase farce will know what I mean. The irony of the two second yellows tonight that saw Messrs Johnson and Medlock depart early was the free kick that followed - to us. The whole incident started with a foul against us and I presume chops resulted in the two dismissals which is frustrating given that the referee had shown what a dickhead he was already so mouths should really have stayed shut. Indeed the referee gifted Hythe their first half lead with what was a quality goal that came about from a free kick against United (for winning the ball cleanly it appeared).
The U's were by far the better side in the second half and really dug in when they went down to 9 men with 20 to go. A top, battling, gutsy display to get a thoroughly warranted draw and a perfect end to proceedings when the team came over to us behind the Hythe goal with Danny Bloor to show their appreciation for the support. Garry made clear his displeasure with a truly inept refereeing display - and who can blame him.
However this season pans out - tonight's display was first class. Well done you all.
Fantastic performance tonight! We were all over Hythe I thought. Terrible ref - worst I have seen but best performance of the season from us in my eyes. Well done!!!!
Totally agree Simon the referee was a disgrace....totally inept,made Vosper look competent.
Magnificent battling display in the last 20 minutes with 9 men. Razor magnificent but they all were.Kevant Serbony looks an excellent addition and what on earth has Jack McLean been doing playing in the East Sussex league.Feelingvery proud of the boys tonight, but dread to think what my blood pressure reading is. well done boys.
Sounds like it was a very good point for us in the end and at least leaves us with a higher points potential than Hythe. 2 away points out of 9 however has not really done too much for our play off chances and this of course was the first of five matches in 12 days so we are really up against it, relative to people like Dorking, say.
I don't think I have ever witnessed such a pathetic performance from a referee in my life. To say he was biased was putting it light. I agree with Simon that I saw nothing wrong in the challenge that led to their goal, I think Jack Harris tried at every opportunity to get a free kick and quite often the incapable referee fell for it, Alfie May wasn't any better whinging like a little schoolboy constantly trying to get players into trouble.
I know the table doesn't lie but they didn't look anything special and apart from the dubious goal never really looked like scoring until we went down to 9 men. With all that said you can't take anything away from our lads tonight I thought the boys played very well and with 11 players on the pitch looked the more likely to get a winner. Once down to 9 men Garry and Danny got it spot on in setting out the team to defend the remaining 20 minutes. Praise where it's due it was a gutsy performance. Play like we did tonight for the remainder of the season and we will be ok.
Well as it's a game of opinions here is one that is entirely factual and 100% correct.
Firstly Hythe have not been playing well recently and have got over the proverbial "line" due to a combination of team spirit and exceptional goals. You saw one last night.
Yes the Ref got a few things wrong but I have seen worse this season let alone going back in history. With hindsight a few on both sides--yes both sides-- could have been pulled up for a lecture early on but he chose to let the game flow and was let down by a few individuals who were falling down and rolling around and then getting up and forgetting not only to limp, but also not remembering to even rub their supposed injuries.
Going forward Hastings looked as good as any side we have played this season and obviously the Races did them no harm.
Finally did none of you realise that the first red was due to the ref playing on after a bad foul and then coming back when play stopped and the second was the result of good old "foul and abusive". Very experienced football "neutrals" were in complete agreement afterwards that both were clear-cut second cautions.
However as a Hythe follower it was clear to me that we were on our way to defeat before those incidents changed the game and what disappointed me was that we never looked like scoring against the nine men.
A bit difficult for your management to blame the players though when they could not keep their own heads.
I'm sure that it was clear for anyone that was close to the offence as to why both reds were given, although at first, giving the speed of the incident. I admit I did think that Johnnos second yellow was a case of mistaken identity, but I stand corrected as having let play go on the referee came back to Johno for an earlier foul and gave him a second yellow card. I think more than anything else what our players and management found disappointing was the referees handling of particularly the first half where he appeared to give free kicks to Hythe for fouls but denied Hastings free kicks for the same type of offences, so no wonder frustrations crept in. I was also witness, as were many of our supporters, to the foul and abusive language used by Hythe players which kept piercing the night sky particularly in the second half when Hythe were put under pressure, yet the referee ignored this only to send off one of our players who allegedly used foul and abusive language. I'm not saying that some of our players were innocent at all however consistency in decision making and approach to both sides is needed and that wasn't applied.
I'm all for allowing the game to flow and believe that referees to often blow up when just waiting a few seconds to see what develops would obviously be the more sensible option to apply, however I'm sorry last night the referee was more lenient with players wearing red compared to those in yellow and I honestly do not believe that is an unfair statement.
Hythe were a bunch of whingers who's players did their best to get our players into trouble!! I was totally disgusted last night! Anyway Hythe was far from a good side - just a big boot I'd describe them. All in my opinion of course!
Liked Gary's starting eleven last night. Very offensive and no thought of going there for a point. Good idea to give Crutts a rest as well as he has been a little less effective of late and the break will do him a world of good.
I can't work out why billy was picked out over anyone else. I saw and heard players from both sides in the refs face swearing and shouting all through the game, so why did billy get picked up? Simons I admit I didn't see
But who cares, from the off we were up against 12 men, and the spirit was superb. Play like that we'll have no worries this season. Just hope last night hasn't taken too much out of us for tomorrow
the ref was poor and we played well and it look like it was gonna be 1 of those nights but we mainly kept to our task but i really think bothe sending off was about the only thing the ref got right all night, well that and turning up at the right ground. Billy is talented but he really need to sort his behaviour out, petulant i think it called. thought hythe were also bunch of whingers too and maybe if they had concentrate on playing football rather than ref they might have be more competitive. to start with i thought it was 2 points lost but guess with 9 men it was a point won. but from a hythe view i guess they play bad and still got a point and they say good team are those that play badly and still get points. but we play well and only got 1 point when we should have had all 3. hope we are ready for a game tomorrow so soon after last night.
