Hastings end season with defeat

HASTINGS United ended the season on a disappointing note with a 2-0 defeat at home to Metropolitan Police.

The result meant the U’s finished the Ryman Premier campaign in the final position of safety of fifth from bottom.

Hastings played some lovely football in the first half which should have seen them go in at the interval at least a couple of goals to the good.

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Zac Attwood went close to opening the scoring after only eight minutes but his header was pushed out for a corner by goalkeeper Jamie Butler.

Lee Carey, who before kick-off had been named the club’s player of the season, fizzed a long range free kick just wide before Bradley Goldberg sidefooted the wrong side of the near post from Attwood’s low cross.

Bailo Camara was also denied by Butler and from the rebound Jack Dixon saw his half volley drop wide. By now it was pretty much one-way traffic but Hastings failed to make their superiority count as both Camara and Attwood fired off target.

The visitors made a double substitution at the start of the second half and one of the new arrivals, Mu Mann, opened the scoring on 64 minutes with a cool finish from a partially cleared corner.

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They doubled their lead eight minutes later through a close range strike from Staforde Palmer after good work by Chris O’Flaherty.

Hastings struggled to create anything of note in the second period as a difficult season ultimately ended with something of a whimper in persistent rain.

Hastings: Armstrong-Ford, Dixon, Whitehead (Sutton 73), Carey, Ray (Manning 73), Jirbandey, Ellis, Crellin, Goldberg (Gonsalves 75), Attwood, Camara. Sub not used: Stapley.

Referee: Graham Kane (Ditchling). Attendance: 564.