After the original fixture was postponed last month, the Blues are on their travels on Tuesday night, as we take the trip into East Sussex to face Hastings United. This follows our trip into West Sussex on Saturday, where we ran out 2-1 winners over third place Horsham. That win took us to five matches unbeaten, and Ahmet Rifat will be looking for his men to make that six on Tuesday night, in a tricky trip to a side which is battling to save its Isthmian Premier League status.
Our Opponents
Hastings United have spent much of their recent history between the Isthmian Premier and Isthmian South East divisions. Hastings spent a spell at this level between 2007/08 and 2012/13, in that final season Hastings achieved their best ever FA Cup run, beating Harrogate Town live on ESPN in the 2nd Round to set up a 3rd Round tie with Middlesbrough where they eventually lost 4-1. In the league that season, however, a significant winless run saw the Us relegated back to step 4. For the next 10 years or so, Hastings consistently challenged in the top half of that division, eventually achieving promotion back to the Isthmian Premier as champions in 2021/22.
Last season, after a slow start which saw the U's bring in manager Chris Agutter, Hastings spent large parts of the season in and around the playoff places. Eventually they fell just short of a playoff spot, finishing 7th with 67 points, two places and nine points behind Horsham in the final spot. Manager Agutter was picked up by Worthing in the summer, and is currently flying high in National League South.
This season has seen Hastings struggle to reach the same heights as last season. Hastings are currently sat in 20th place with 28 points from 32 matches (W7 D7 L18). It was a solid start to the season, with Hastings occupying top spot after two games, after two wins in the first two matches of the season. A tough spell followed, and five games without a win saw the Us drop to 18th place, before recovering to sit in the upper end of the bottom half of the table. Recent form has been a real concern, with seven defeats in the last ten and only one win in that time, last weekend against fellow strugglers Hendon. It must be said, however, that the defeats have largely been narrow deficits, with five by just the one-goal margin.
Head to Head
Last season our visit to Pilot Field was a successful one thanks to an excellent Elliot Long hat-trick in the space of 6 minutes either side of the interval. Hastings threatened to mount a comeback with two goals before the hour mark but the Blues held on to take all 3 points in East Sussex. At the Maurice Rebak Stadium earlier this season, it was a 2-1 victory for the Blues as we scored in quick succession through an Ogo Obi penalty and Ryan Lowe goal in the second half. Finley Chapman netted at the death to ensure a nervous finish, but the Blues held on to take all three points.
Last Time Out
Hastings come into Saturday's clash with slightly improved form in recent weeks. After six defeats in a row, the Us have since only lost once in four games; drawing with Dulwich Hamlet and Cray Wanderers, losing at Chatham, before winning against Hendon at the Pilot Field on Saturday. With this game being one of Hastings' games in hand over others around the relegation zone, they will be looking to secure three points and should certainly not be underestimated.
Players To Watch
Hastings could have one man in their lineup that has worn the Blue of Wingate & Finchley this season; Alex Kpapke is in the Hastings squad, having made a handful of appearances for the Blues earlier this season. Ahmet Rifat and his men will be fully prepared for facing their former colleague on Tuesday night.
Aside from Davide Rodari, who has netted 18 goals this term in all competitions in a difficult campaign for Hastings, Finley Chapman has also contributed with six goals from midfield, including one at the Maurice Rebak Stadium. The Blues will need to keep these two quiet in front of goal if they are able to keep a clean sheet.
For the Blues, centre back Ben Frempah made his 88th appearance for Wingate & Finchley at the weekend, and that has made him the joint-most capped player of the current Blues squad - if he plays on Tuesday he will leapfrog Loic Hernandez. This season, "Fremps" has added another element to his game, scoring six goals, and he almost added to that tally at the weekend, with his chance (below) cleared off the line at Horsham.
Photos courtesy of Martin Addison.
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