Bring on the leaders! Hastings United relish Hornchurch test

Hornchurch come to town with Gary Elphick’s team unbeaten in seven in the league and quietly confident they can lower the colours of the top team – who are the only side to beat them by more than one goal this season.

United made it seven points from nine over Christmas and the new year with a 0-0 draw at Horsham on Monday. United missed some good chances to win it – but were relieved to see an injury-time Hornets penalty missed by Tom Kavanagh.

The draw maintains their fine form and sets them up nicely for the visits of Hornchurch and, next Tuesday, Folkestone.

Elphick said: “We were slightly disappointed not to win at Horsham. Both teams had chances but I felt we had the best ones and their keeper was worked more than ours.

"Had they scored the penalty it would have been a real injustice. It was a good defensive display from us and that was our tenth clean sheet in the league, which makes up nearly 50 per cent of our games.”

Hastings remain ninth in the league – in the middle of the pack stretching from fourth-placed Enfield to Folkestone in 13th who are separated by only seven points.

It makes tomorrow’s Hornchurch clash a huge one.

Elphick said: “There’s no room for slip-ups in a league that tight and if we can beat Hornchurch we’ll be only five points behind them.

"It was a bizarre game at their place. We had Finn O’Mara sent off after a couple of minutes after the officials thought he’d used his arm on the line, and that 3-0 defeat was the only league game we’ve lost by more than one goal – so this will be a good game to judge how we’ve progressed.

"But they’re top for a reason and it will be tough.

"Then it’s Folkestone on Tuesday and they’ve been improving.”

Key man Tom Chalmers could be out for a few weeks after damaging his knee early in the draw at Horsham. But striker Chinedu McKenzie (hamstring) is nearing fitness and everyone else is fit.