Give it a few hours - and Hastings United will be back together

Hastings United's players will be back together for training just hours after the current lockdown ends next Wednesday.
Lloyd Dawes has played only in pre-season for Hastings so far, but is almost fit for his competitive debut / Picture: Scott WhiteLloyd Dawes has played only in pre-season for Hastings so far, but is almost fit for his competitive debut / Picture: Scott White
Lloyd Dawes has played only in pre-season for Hastings so far, but is almost fit for his competitive debut / Picture: Scott White

Chris Agutter will get his squad together on Wednesday evening for their first session together for a month.

Their first game will be their FA Trophy visit to Aveley the following Tuesday, but they face an agonising wait until December 19 to restart their league campaign.

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Agutter said he, his staff and the players had been in touch with each other three or four times a week in the current shutdown and spirits were high.

“We’ve been working really hard. We’ve looked at it as an opportunity rather than a hindrance,” he told us.

“We’ve been doing Strava runs and Zoom sessions. We have covered 846km as a squad and looking at people’s fitness scores having restested them, they have improved.

“The only thing that will need a bit of work is match sharpness but that will soon come and the players are well-drilled in terms of organisation.”

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Agutter said it would be a frustrating time waiting for the first post-lockdown league game, which looks set to be the home clash with Ashford on Saturday, December 19.

“The league gave clubs the option of playing before December 19, but only us and Cray Valley wanted to. We’d have played on the first Saturday – December 5 – if we’d been able to, we’re that keen.”

It’s hoped when crowds do return to The Pilot Field, they won’t be restricted to 400 as they have been in the early part of the season.

The ground’s capacity is around 4,000 so even with new limits in place stopping clubs having any more than 50 per cent of their space filled, United will be able to accommodate 1,000 or more if that’s what the demand brings.

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They are top of the Isthmian south east division – just as they were when last season came to a halt and was declared null and void – and are still in the FA Trophy and Sussex Senior Cup.

Agutter also had two bits of good news for fans on the injury front.

“Gary Elphick, who did a hamstring, is fit, as is Lloyd Dawes. We had a choice with Lloyd between surgery and thorough rehab, and we went with the rehab. Our sports therapist Paige Wise has overseen the programme and he’s doing really well. He was out running at 1am last night which shows you how keen he is to be back.”