After another clean sheet and a win we have another home game against
Horsham are currently the number 20 in the table, played 11 games and got 10 points.
Scored 11 and conceded 22 goals.
Remember last season's home match:
After the midweek 1-1 draw in Faversham, United were back home for the first time in February, to face Sussex rivals, Horsham.
The game got off to a perfect start for United, when, after forty-three seconds, Harry Stannard pounced on a through-ball and volleyed the ball past ex-United favourite Josh Pelling, to give the ‘U’s the lead.
All the drama settled in after a quarter of an hour though, when an almighty pop was heard from the corner floodlight, and out it went. Play stopped briefly, before the referee consulted both teams and managers, and play resumed.
Horsham came close to drawing level mid-way through the first period, when Branford struck a twenty-five-yard free-kick against the foot of the post, before Jack Harris doubled the lead by pouncing on a Josh Pelling mistake. The Horsham stopper’s team-mates had called time, despite Jack Harris closing down on him, and as he went to clear the ball, it cannoned back off Jack Harris and into the top corner of the goal. Two-nil to United.
Pelling was kept busy in the Horsham goal for the remainder of the first half. Frannie Collin cut inside to angle a shot on goal, but Pelling was equal to it, and then the ‘U’s top scorer had a header kept out from point blank range. Half-time, and United were two to the good.
The Hornets had a good spell of pressure in the second half, and enjoyed a lot of possession and time on the ball. Branford went close again, early in the second period, but steered his shot wide of Pidgeley’s right hand post.
The visitors threatened again when Metcalf’s free-kick was well saved by the United stopper, diving well to his left, to keep out the goal-bound effort.
Despite Horsham’s best efforts to halve the deficit during the second period, the ‘U’s went on to extend their lead through loanee, Jack Evans.
Hughes-Mason worked well down the left-hand side and tried to square it to Collin, but it went behind him and fell kindly for Evans, whose first-time finish made it three-nil to the ‘U’s, and that was how it finished.
And we?
After 3 clean sheets and 3 wins we climb up the table step for step. Although we play different then we used to do or even hope to do it is surely important that first of all the defense is solid.
Hopefully a lot of supporters will turn up for this one.
Well what do you make of that? for me that was the most worrying performance of the season by far. For the first time this season a manager gets to put out his strongest 11 and yet we go on to be dominated over 90 minutes by a team that has won just one of its last ten. With that sort of form behind them I really thought we would have a go tonight but for 90 mins we seemed happy to get ten behind the ball and hit them on the break with Kenny all on his own up top. We were at home for gods sake! No creativity whatsoever again and Dixon and Crutts looking thoroughly fed up all night as they should be being our two most creative players but being played out of position. Really nothing else to say about the performance, it was crap,but certainly a first for me. I have never watched a 3-3 draw and it was like watching paint dry. Just thought Dom, who I have always rated as a manager out thought us and out played us throughout. The positive brigade will be happy with the point or blame the ref, and I guess three chances three goals is a positive but for me that was really concerning tonight. No possession, poor passing, no creativity and outplayed for most of the match. Horsham can count themselves very unfortunate indeed.
Game summed up by a supporter who said that you would think a 3-3 draw would be entertaining. Well it wasn’t. Can’t fault effort and endeavour but little in the way of skill or creativity. Far too many long balls up to Kenny. Disappointing.
Horsham were poor but Hastings managed to hand them the initiative-just like they have done to every team I have seen them play this season. Are we incapable of attacking teams as poor as Horsham? The few times we passed the ball forward in midfield we created good chances-why we didn't we do this all game?
I think that I called our 1-0 away victory uninspiring. This might be the first time that I've called a 3-3 draw uninspiring. The only creativity I saw all game came from Sam cruttwell, who was rewarded with the hook. I think our man of the match was their keeper, who made a mess of the last two goals , and probably could have claimed the cross for the first.
I don't think any of our strikers can effectively play up front on their own. All of them play better as part of a pair. So either change the system or change the personnel!
And Kenny still has his offside issues. Had it in his first two spells with the club and still getting caught way too many times.
On to the more serious side of football and heard an appalling story about Sonny Dullaway tonight and a very serious injury. An incredible talent and hope it is not as bad as it sounds.
On another serious note one of our long term supporters Gerry Aldridge has a fall outside the ground tonight .Attended to by Pat and Dane among others before being taken to the Conquest where we hope he makes a full recovery.
No tactics no idea but plenty of effort and the players natural abilities saw them through to earn a point. Can we have a manager that knows what’s he is doing it is clear Chris doesn’t. We have good players who need organising and leadership, it was like a Sunday league game from our point of view, playing off the cuff and hoping.
Thought Tom Vickers played some good balls through and worked hard ... but too many wasted long balls to Kenny with no effect . At last one long throw from Ollie Black created a goal
Nothing to come on from the bench really is there ... although Davide apparantly scored 4 last night ... it seems we ha e nothing to add in substitutions
Wish Gerry all the best
Was Sonny injured some where , really sure I saw him eating chips but hey ! Could be my age and old sight
-- Edited by ChrisVanRock on Tuesday 17th of October 2017 10:12:33 PM
Some of the lads that play with him said last night that he was involved in a serious moped/car accident. Expect to see a club announcement soon. Very sad news for the club on top of one of our extremely talented u15 players also suffering a very serious leg injury at the weekend. I wish them all a hasty recovery. I guess these kind of things bring last nights garbage into context.
600 fans for lewes game under 250 last night carry on playing football like the last 2 games and luckly to get a hundred. worst games ive seen for long time
Honestly think we have the players Ollie, just need another striker and we are almost there, although the bench still looks terribly thin. Its just the style of play, it is so negative and boring. Why would anyone play one up top, at the Pilot Field, against the team currently bottom of the form table. There was one occasion in the first half when I saw Sam Adams defending at right back. Lets get Crutts and Dixon in the centre of the park where they belong.
Yes, its old news, he's gone, he was disruptive, he is a mercenary etc etc but how have we missed Billy Medlock and that little bit of something different on the pitch. Scored 8 in 6 since his move.
have said it in recent posts still need an out and out striker long balls up to one front man ain't working as john said Kenny getting caught offside to often.was really disappointed when we saw billy leave.tom is playing really well to,would like to see jack simon and crutts all in midfield but don't look like that's going to happen.
The only decent football we played last night was the move for 1-0. All very stale and having amongst the subs, Rodari, who played the previous night. He should be starting now his confidence levels are up. We were lucky to get a point in the end and Horsham outplayed us in the 2nd half and must be well brassed off they didn't win. 249 gate is poor - but ok for midweek. All sides play in front of less spectators midweek and there are plenty at our level and higher who would be happy to get 249 on a Saturday let alone midweek.
My goodness, aII this moaning on the forum after some performances that have accrued some points and a pIatform to improve. Give it a bit of time to improve the quaIity of pIay and support the new management team. It was a group of pIayers out there who Iost their way in the 2nd haIf and needed to take some responsibiIity for that. Granted there were too many Iong baIIs and they needed to shorten it up. They are an experienced bunch at this IeveI (just what supporters had been caIIing for) and so they need to manage the game themseIves. Chris wiII promote more of a possession game once he has soIidified the defence and the whoIe unit works together.
