Four-star United back to winning ways

Tyrell Richardson-Brown scored one goal and had a hand in two others during Hastings United's 4-2 win away to Walton & Hersham this afternoon. Picture courtesy Joe Knight

The U’s recovered from seeing a 2-0 lead cancelled out to win their latest Ryman Football League Division One South contest with two goals in the final half-hour.

United took less than four minutes to open the scoring. Sam Cruttwell’s throughball was misjudged by a Walton defender and Tyrell Richardson-Brown found the back of the net.

Zac Attwood missed a glorious chance to double United’s advantage, but the U’s did go 2-0 up in the 22nd minute. A deep corner from Sam Adams was hooked back by Jack Walder for Ollie Rowe to head home.

Fourth-bottom Walton pulled one back on the half-hour. Gareth Chendlink’s deflected cross was tapped home by Richard Pacquette at the far post.

It remained 2-1 at half time and United had a golden opportunity to restore their two-goal cushion early in the second period. Simon Johnson was pulled back in the area, but the resulting Sam Cole penalty was saved.

As so often happens in football, a miss at one end was followed by a goal at the other. Pacquette cut in from the left and buried a low shot beyond United goalkeeper Harry Girling to make it 2-2 in the 63rd minute.

Walton were only on level terms, however, for two minutes. Attwood received a pass from Richardson-Brown and rounded the goalkeeper before finishing from the tightest of angles.

Dylan Casey hit the side-netting for Walton with a free kick and Girling acrobatically saved a Joe Wallbanks volley before United wrapped up the points with a delightful goal in the 82nd minute.

Having skipped past a couple of defenders and exchanged passes with Richardson-Brown, Cruttwell chipped the goalkeeper from the edge of the area to put United within two points of the play-off places with games in hand.

United: Girling, Rowe, Wilson, Johnson, Cruttwell, Walder, Richardson-Brown (Temba), Cumming-Bart, Attwood (Foster), Adams, Cole (Ray). Sub not used: Smith.

Ryman Division One South top half (played-points): 1 Folkestone Invicta 34-82, 2 Worthing 35-68, 3 Dorking Wanderers 34-66, 4 Herne Bay 34-60, 5 Guernsey 34-58, 6 Corinthian-Casuals 33-57, 7 Faversham Town 33-57, 8 HASTINGS UNITED 30-56, 9 Hythe Town 32-56, 10 Ramsgate 34-55, 11 Molesey 32-54, 12 Whyteleafe 34-52.

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