Hastings United boss Agutter calls on fans to 'stay calm' during run-in

Hastings United manager Chris Agutter has called for supporters to ‘stay calm’ in the end-of-season run-in as the U’s look to secure their first league title in 18 years.
Hastings United manager Chris Agutter. Picture by Scott WhiteHastings United manager Chris Agutter. Picture by Scott White
Hastings United manager Chris Agutter. Picture by Scott White

United are currently three points clear at the top of the Isthmian South East table with two games in hand over second-place Ashford United.

Meanwhile, Whitehawk and Cray Valley Paper Mills could also prove to be worthy challengers with the third and fourth-place sides on 56 and 54 points respectively.

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Hastings haven’t lifted a league title since 2002 when they finished top of the Southern League East Division with their last major honour coming in 2007 when they won the Isthmian Division South play-offs.

The U’s last competed in the Isthmian Premier Division back in 2012/13 and Agutter insists he remains ‘confident but not arrogant’ at their chances of gaining promotion back to step three of the non-league pyramid once again.

He said: “Cray Valley are on a really good run at the minute, and we’ve got them in a few weeks time, but after we drew away at Whitehawk I didn’t feel it was between just us and Ashford.

“We know we’ve got to keep improving and if we carry on our performance levels, get our heads down and keep on working hard, like we have done in the three previous games, I think it will be a good end to the season.

“We just need to stay calm.”

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He continued: “Other than the ones behind the goal, our supporters are very nervous and anxious.

“On Saturday, in the build-up to our goals, we had the ball in the opposition’s half and played all the way back to the goalkeeper both times.

“On both occasions there were sections of our support that were moaning about going to the keeper, and were very anxious thinking we’re not going to go forward.

“But then we keep the ball, build two really good attacks and get two goals off the back of it so we just need to stay calm, keep doing what we’re doing and let everyone else get a bit nervous and a bit twitchy.”

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Cray Valley are currently on a eight-game winning streak with Hastings set to take on their fellow promotion challengers in three weeks time.

But Agutter insists it’s not a game he’s targeting as one that could define their season.

He said: “(All our games) are worth three points. A lot of people had a meltdown when we got beaten by Ashford three weeks ago but it’s no more important than any other game.

“We’ve just got to treat every game the same.

“If our end of the season is similar to what we did in the first half of the season then we’ll win the league.

“We just need to keep our standards to what they’ve been all year and finish the job off.”

Hastings visit Phoenix Sports this Saturday.