United take on Lewes in Easter Monday derby

Hastings United's footballers could secure a play-off place if results go their way this afternoon (Easter Monday).
Sam Cruttwell gets up highest during Hastings United's 1-1 draw at home to Walton Casuals on Saturday. Picture courtesy Scott WhiteSam Cruttwell gets up highest during Hastings United's 1-1 draw at home to Walton Casuals on Saturday. Picture courtesy Scott White
Sam Cruttwell gets up highest during Hastings United's 1-1 draw at home to Walton Casuals on Saturday. Picture courtesy Scott White

United will be part of the Ryman Football League Division One South’s end-of-season promotion shoot-out if they win their game and Carshalton Athletic fail to win theirs.

Darren Hare’s side heads into the penultimate round of fixtures two points above Carshalton and with a vastly superior goal difference (+64 compared to +36).

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United are away to seventh-placed Lewes - who are now effectively out of play-off contention as they trail United by six points and their goal difference is only +13 - and Carshalton make the short journey to leaders Tooting & Mitcham United. Both games will kick-off at 3pm.

Kiernan Hughes-Mason squares the ball across the box against Walton. Picture courtesy Scott WhiteKiernan Hughes-Mason squares the ball across the box against Walton. Picture courtesy Scott White
Kiernan Hughes-Mason squares the ball across the box against Walton. Picture courtesy Scott White

United will all but be guaranteed a play-off place if they draw and Carshalton lose, but if Carshalton match or better United’s result, the battle will go down to the final matches on Saturday when both clubs are at home to teams in the bottom seven.

United - the highest scorers in the top eight tiers of English football with 121 league goals - have picked up seven points from their last three outings, but had to settle for a frustrating 1-1 draw at home to mid-table Walton Casuals on Saturday.

Lewes will have to pick themselves up from the agony of conceding two late goals to lose 4-3 in a dramatic contest away to Carshalton.

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United were 3-0 winners in the reverse fixture on Boxing Day against a Lewes side which had former United player Jack Dixon sent-off in the first half. Harry Stannard and Frannie Collin scored memorable goals on that occasion.

United will hope 31-goal leading scorer Collin is fit enough to feature in the return meeting after coming off as a precaution in the second half against Walton.

They will also hope central defender Ollie Rowe can return after missing Saturday’s match to give him more time to recover from a car accident.

Ryman Division One South top 10 (all played 44 matches, 2 remaining): 1 Tooting & Mitcham United 102pts (+66 goal difference), 2 Dorking Wanderers 99 (+56), 3 Greenwich Borough 91 (+46), 4 Corinthian-Casuals 87 (+33), 5 HASTINGS UNITED 80 (+64), 6 Carshalton Athletic 78 (+36), 7 Lewes 74 (+13), 8 Faversham Town 73 (+32), 9 Hythe Town 72 (+16), 10 South Park 70 (+11).

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