HASTINGS UNITED ARE ISTHMIAN SOUTH-EAST CHAMPIONS

Hastings United FC are champions of the Isthmian south east division - at last!
Hastings United are the top scorers in the Isthmian south east and have been in superb form since January / Picture: Scott WhiteHastings United are the top scorers in the Isthmian south east and have been in superb form since January / Picture: Scott White
Hastings United are the top scorers in the Isthmian south east and have been in superb form since January / Picture: Scott White

They clinched it this afternoon at Faversham with a 1-1 draw - Sam Hasler cancelling out the hosts' opener.

It means they cannot be caught in top spot and will play in the Isthmian premier next season.

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Hastings have now claimed a prize they should have been celebrating two years ago. Under then boss Chris Agutter they led the Isthmian south east able with only six weeks of the 2019-20 season to go when that campaign was declared null and void as the country shut down at the start of the Covid pandemic.

They launched a new glory bid in the 2020-21 season but that too was curtailed - this time with much more of the fixture list unfulfilled.

Could they do it again this year?

Well the latest bid has not been without bumps - they lost Agutter in November and suffered a few defeats in games they would normally have expected to win. But since January they have been relentless in their pursuit of the prize and have left their promotion rivals trailing in their wake, winning nine matches in a row before last week's 0-0 draw at home to Haywards Heath.

United boss Gary Elphick / Picture: Scott WhiteUnited boss Gary Elphick / Picture: Scott White
United boss Gary Elphick / Picture: Scott White

Now they can look forward to re-taking their place at step three of the non-league game in the Isthmian premier division, where they can look forward to Sussex derbies with the likes of Bognor and Horsham and - unless they go up - Lewes.

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It is just reward for everyone at the club who have put a huge effort into making this campaign, with chairman and CEO Billy Wood leaving no stone unturned in his efforts to lead the Us back up the non-league pyramid.

Hastings United fans have followed the team in huge numbers all season / Picture: Scott WhiteHastings United fans have followed the team in huge numbers all season / Picture: Scott White
Hastings United fans have followed the team in huge numbers all season / Picture: Scott White

Elphick too deserves huge credit for the way he has taken the team to this point after taking over in mid-November. The pressure was on him to maintain the title bid and there were some early setbacks but he has had the players and fans fully behind him as he has masterminded this triumph, backed of course by his coaching and backroom team.