Hastings United v Whitstable Town – all you need to know

Form and status

After another postponement last weekend, thankfully Tuesday evening’s game survived, and we finally got to watch some first-team football again.

United followed up their home win against Sittingbourne with an even more impressive win away to Burgess Hill Town.

Impressive not only in the score line but in the manner of the victory too. A controlled performance full of pace, aggression, patience where necessary and assurance throughout.

The last two games have seen a welcome return to form with seven goals scored and only Burgess Hill’s last second penalty conceded.

The U’s six-game form is now three wins, two draws and one defeat, which has lifted them from 12th to eighth in the form guide table on 11 points.

And in the most important table, United remain second to Ashford United on goal difference.

Both teams are level on 59 points though the U’s have two games in hand, which have now been rearranged.

Firstly, a trip to Chichester City on Tuesday March 24 and then another evening out this time over to Hythe Town on Tuesday April 7.

Whitstable Town are 14th in the league after winning nine games, drawing eight and losing ten.

In terms of their away form, they’ve won four, drawn two and lost seven times.

The Oystermen’s most notable away performances this season are a 2-0 triumph at Guernsey and a commendable 1-1 draw at Chichester City.

But they’ve also suffered some heavy defeats on their travels including at Sevenoaks, Whitehawk and Herne Bay.

Whitstable’s six-game form is three wins, one draw and two defeats, which places them ninth in the form guide table on ten points.

Though those three victories were at the start of the sequence and they lost 1-0 at VCD last weekend.

Away from the league Whitstable have reached the semi-final of the Kent Cup after beating Ramsgate in the quarter-final.

Recent meetings

The sides met at the beginning of December with United coming away from the Belmont Ground with a 3-1 win.

A second-half Gary Elphick brace, adding to Davide Rodari’s early goal, were enough to bring home three points.

Bottom line

Perhaps it is too early to be counting down the games to play, after all United still have 11 fixtures remaining. That’s more than a quarter of the overall campaign.

Even so, as we approach the point where games to play will be in single figures, the excitement is going to build and build, and build a bit more.

With only five home games left and the weather set fair, the Pilot Field is definitely the place to be this Saturday.