Another home win puts U’s second

Kenny Pogue, pictured crossing the ball in Saturday's win over Brentwood Town, scored Hastings United's final goal in the 3-0 victory at home to Folkestone Invicta tonight. Picture by Terry S. Blackman

The U’s made it 13 points from a possible 15 at The Pilot Field and preserved the last remaining unbeaten home record in Ryman Football League Division One South with a 3-0 victory over Folkestone Invicta.

United have won several games so far this term without playing particularly well and they again showed their ability to find a way to win against a Folkestone side lying fourth-from-bottom.

John Maggs’s side opened the scoring after 10 minutes as centre-half Sean Kelly scored his third goal in five matches with a powerful header into the bottom corner from a right wing corner by Sam Adams.

The rest of the first half was fairly scrappy and uneventful, although United did have a penalty appeal turned down when Akwasi Fobi-Edusei appeared to be pushed in the back near the byeline and Bailo Camara had a shot well held by Folkestone goalkeeper Tim Roberts.

The second half started in much the same fashion and in fact Folkestone initially seemed to be having slightly the better of the play, albeit without really troubling Josh Pelling in the United goal.

After Camara burst into the box and saw his shot saved by the body of Roberts, United wrapped the game up with two goals in the space of four minutes shortly before the midway point in the half.

A long ball forward made its way through to Adams, who smartly turned the last defender and slotted past Roberts for number two. Shortly afterwards, substitute Kenny Pogue latched onto an underhit backpass and poked home the third.

Camara had a chance to make it four but didn’t get enough meat on his shot when well placed, Pogue sent a low drive just wide from outside the box and Jordan Woodley wasn’t far away from the far top corner with a delightful curler.

Folkestone would probably have felt miffed at the margin of their defeat and their night was rather summed up near the end when Michael Yianni struck the post with a low shot from outside the box and substitute James Dryden turned home the rebound only to be flagged offside.

United: Pelling, Slocombe, Richardson, Camara, Judge, Kelly, Ellis, Olorunda (Gilbert 71), Branco (Pogue 64), Adams, Fobi-Edusei (Woodley 59). Subs not used: Cruttwell, Burbridge.

Ryman Division One South top half (played-points): 1 Walton Casuals 12-27, 2 HASTINGS UNITED 12-26, 3 Crawley Down Gatwick 12-23, 4 Leatherhead 11-20, 5 Guernsey 11-20, 6 Ramsgate 13-20, 7 Peacehaven & Telscombe 11-19, 8 Redhill 11-18, 9 Faversham Town 10-17, 10 Burgess Hill Town 11-15, 11 Worthing 11-15, 12 Walton & Hersham 12-15.