Hastings v Tooting throw in

We saw ya’, Sawyer!

Hastings United 3-1 Tooting & Mitcham United

Hastings United legend, Frankie Sawyer returned to the Pilot Field for this occasion, in the chill and the sunshine of the Pilot Field. Frankie, who left Hastings a few seasons ago after a good career at the Pilot Field, returns to the Pilot Field to Hastings fans’ delight. Could he pull off something special and get Tooting & Mitcham United further up the table? Liam Willis reports.

Hastings got off to a perfect start. Two successive corners from Sam Adams saw debutant Josh Hare get a touch and then a touch off a defender who turned it in to his own net. Colin Hartburn was the unfortunate Tooting defender who gave United the lead after four minutes. United didn’t become complacent after the goal, with Rodrigo Branco close to doubling the lead after firing just over the crossbar.

Tooting’s first attack did indeed come from Mr Frankie Sawyer. A ball from Cheadle played Sawyer through, but Pelling  gathered it before Sawyer could apply a final touch. As Tooting enjoyed a spell of pressure, Cheadle also fired a twenty-five yard free-kick over the top of Pelling’s crossbar. From a quickly taken goalkick, Pelling released Sam Adams down the left hand side to deliver a superb cross to Branco, who chested the ball across to an unmarked Matt Darby; Darby was denied by an excellent block before the ball was scrambled clear.

United doubled their lead on twenty-five minutes, when a superbly-clever freekick from Sam Adams cut the ball back to Danny Ellis; unmarked and away from the defence in the penalty area, he simply couldn’t miss. Ellis almost doubled his goal tally for the day, when a cross from Ben Judge found Ellis unmarked again in the the penalty area, but Ellis tried a spectacular volley  into the goal only to wing it over Williams’ crossbar.

A freekick from Tooting was taken by Troy Williams which Pelling could only flap at. Cheadle beat Pelling and the ball went over to Quarm who headed the ball wide of the unguarded net. The ball did come at him quickly, giving him little time to react. United went in at half time two up and with their heads held high.

Hastings v Tooting

The second half wasn’t really as eventful as the first. United’s first substitution saw Branco replaced by Jordan Woodley after an apparent ankle injury at the end of the first half was beginning to tell.  The first effort of the second half fell to Tooting’s Knock. A whisping half volley forced Pelling to make a smart save down to his right. United upped its game after Pelling’s save and Sam Adams put United three goals to the good on fifty-one minutes. A ball from Bailo Camara had found Adams in space and he ran a few yards to the edge of the penalty area before curling a low shot round the diving Williams in goal.

Tooting didn’t sit back and let United run away with the game though; minutes after the goal, Frankie Sawyer set up Wedgeworth, who drilled the shot wide with only Pelling to beat. Just as I was writing in my match notes “Game has quietened with fifteen minutes to go”, it seemed that Frankie Sawyer read my mind. Frankie unleashed a wonderful strike past Pelling off the post and into the back of the net, giving Tooting a goal out of nothing. The ball to Sawyer came from Turner – both the ball and the finish were sublime. Tooting did need a goal and Frankie Sawyer lived up to expectations left from memories of his earlier games at the Pilot Field in the claret and blue shirts.

United could’ve made it 4-1 when Sam Adams was released clean through the defence by Camara. Adams quickly closed down on an out-rushing Williams, but could only chip just over the top of the crossbar. In a further spell of United pressure, Bailo Camara forced Williams to make a smart save, when he curled from the ‘D’, making Williams dive to his right to take hold of to the ball. As the game livened up with little time to go, another free-kick from Tooting’s Troy Williams forced Pelling to punch it clear.

The best opportunity of the game came for United pretty much as the last kick of the game. Sam Adams ran clear of the defence with only Williams to beat, but Adams squared the ball to Jordan Woodley on the penalty spot who fired wide of an open goal, much to the strong disapproval of the Hastings faithful. However, the referee blew for full time seconds later and United had the win. Tooting gave it more of a go in the second half and made some good chances, but United’s defence proved to be a little too strong.

United starting XI: Pelling, Slocombe, Richardson, Darby, Judge, Hare, Ellis, Olorunda, Branco, Adams, Camara.
Subs: Gilbert, Woodley, Cruttwell, Fobi-Edusei, Burbridge.

Tooting starting XI: G Williams, Turner, Gordon, Alimi, Cheadle, Hartburn, T Williams, Quarm, Knock, Sawyer, Wedgeworth.
Subs: Simpson, Wilson, Bryan, Aiken-Simon, H Cheadle.

Man of the Match, as nominated for by Liam Willis: Ben Judge
Attendance – 429.

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