N'Diaye getting up for a header

Hastings held by Hendon

April 13th 2013

Hastings United 1-2  Hendon

Back to back victories for United saw the morale of the team improve and more belief was coming from the supporters. United have proved this season that they are able to beat higher-table opposition and higher league opposition, however Hendon have been on good form, as have United so the game promised to be a good one. United are still without Attwood, Goldberg and now the injured Camara who suffered a hamstring problem against Harrow Borough. HOT’s Football Correspondent Liam Willis reports.

Just as United finished on Thursday, United started brightly against Hendon. A Cox cross found N’Diaye whose shot took a ricochet to Dixon, and he fired at the keeper. There weren’t too many significant chances at the beginning, as a lot of the football was being played in the middle of the park. A second chance came to United’s Dixon. A blistering run took him into the penalty area, however Hall was there to halt the run before Dixon could pull the trigger.

Hastings goal celebrations

The U’s made an early change after player-manager Sean Ray took a knock and was replaced by fellow defender Ben Judge. United continued to attack; Jamie Crellin tried to curl in a shot from the ‘D’ and then set up Danny Ellis to hit a powerful volley straight at Laurencin. It only took just over half an hour for United to get their noses in front. Hendon reacted poorly to a throw by Danny Ellis to Lee Carey; Lee side-stepped the defender to cut back to Sam Adams and Adams just steered the ball into the back of Laurencin’s net to give United the lead. Up to half time, chances for both teams lacked  finish and intent to offer the killer ball to an attacker. Hastings lead 1-0 at the break.

Early in the second half, Hendon started very well. They enjoyed most of the possession and continued to create chances for themselves and it didn’t take long before they capitalised on one of these chances. Poor defending from a corner saw a scrap in front of goal which allowed Carl McCluskey to steer a shot into the bottom corner of East’s goal, despite East’s best efforts to keep it out.

Hendon’s equaliser seemed to give the visitors a lift; Diedhiou was denied by a sharp reflex from East, only for the ball to fall into the path of Flegg, who headed over. Hendon continued to control the game and have the majority of the chances. The first chance for United came after about sixty-five minutes. N’Diaye threaded a ball to Adams who failed to finish off. The second United change saw Tom Vickers come on, replacing Jamie Crellin.

However a spell of pressure from United resulted in Jack Dixon firing a shot on goal,  again right at the goalkeeper, Laurencin. United were slowly trying to find a way back into the game, with both sides having chances, but nothing to headline.

A fantastic chance for United fell to Lee Carey. A sublime cross from Dixon found its way to a surprised N’Diaye, whose shot was blocked, but only to fall to the equally surprised Lee Carey. The ball ricocheted off Lee and the ball beat the keeper but not the post. The ball hit the post and was cleared. Hendon was still defending poorly when a clearance rebounded off Adams into the path of Ellis, getting clean through. Ellis struck, but the shot was tame and comfortable for Laurencin.

Another brilliant chance for United to go in front came for Danny Ellis. Elliot Cox crossed in to Ellis who shot and hit the post. Hendon’s Lewis, minutes later on the break,  headed from a cross onto the post after East failed to intercede. The rebound onto the post fell to Maclaren who put Hendon in front with two minutes of the ninety remaining.

In United’s final change Murphy made way for McDonald, but the three minutes injury time was too little too late for United, as they slipped to a fifteenth defeat. It’s safe to say that the other results in the Ryman Premier League didn’t favour United. Harrow beat Concord 2-1, Carshalton beat high-flying Lowestoft 3-2 and Wingate and Finchley beat Kingstonian 3-0. However, Lewes lost by one goal to Leiston and Bognor beat Thurrock. The changes in the league table mean United slip back into the relegation zone with only a point separating them from bottom of table Carshalton and Lewes who are a place above.

United: East, Cox, Murphy, Carey (c), Ray, Richardson, Ellis, Crellin, Dixon, N’Diaye, Adams.
Subs: Judge, Williams, Vickers, McDonald.

Hendon: Laurencin, Hall, Cousins, Flegg, McCluskey, Maclaren, Cracknell, O’Leary, Maclaren, Diedhiou, Connors.
Subs: Goodhind, Lewis, McCann, Smith, Thomas.

Man of the Match, as nominated for by Liam Willis: Jack Dixon.
Attendance: 401

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