No home comfort for goal-shy Hastings

The damage was done in the the first half as Hastings’ miserable run without a win in the Ryman Premier stretched to eight matches.

The home side matched their opponents for most of the opening period but two lapses in concentration proved very costly.

Sixth-placed Bury opened the scoring just before the half hour mark when a deep cross from Russell Short was met at the back post by ex-Ipswich Town and Leicester City ace James Scowcroft who executed a cultured sidefoot volley beyond Scott Chalmers-Stevens.

The visitors pretty much made sure of the points with a killer second just before half time. Sam Reed’s inswinging corner from the left cleared Jimmy Elford at the near post and Roscoe Hipperson was allowed to run in unchallenged and thump a header into the back of the home net.

Fraser Logan should have halved a deficit soon after the interval but from eight yards the Hastings forward blazed well over.

The U’s went on to enjoy plenty of possession but against a solid Bury side happy to sit back and play on the break, they never really looked like getting back in the game, although Sean Ray might have done better with a header from Jamie Cade’s cross.

In fact Bury might have added to their tally in the closing stages but Chalmers-Stevens saved well from Reed and Chris Henderson.

Hastings: Chalmers-Stevens, Cade, Elford, Beales, Ray, T. Olorunda, Phillips (Pogue 70), Barnes (Sawyer 56), Adams, Eldridge, Logan. Subs not used: Jirbandey, Newman, Tashpulator.

Referee: Robert Smith (Croydon). Attendance: 314.