Rams raid sets up Hastings United for Isthmian premier return

It may have been only a friendly – but boss Gary Elphick says Hastings United’s performance in a 6-2 win at Ramsgate was one of their best in the time he has been at the club.
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And he reckons it was the perfect way to set themselves up for the start of their Isthmian premier division adventure. United were on fire at the home of the Rams as goals by Craig Stone, Tom Chalmers (2), Ben Pope and James Hull (2) gave Elphick’s men a stunning end to a pre-season campaign which has contained one or two setbacks.

It means they welcome Aveley to The Pilot Field tomorrow in good spirits for the start of their first step three campaign for a decade. The form of Hull is especially pleasing for the management as he and Ben Pope are currently the only striker options following Danny Parish’s move to Canvey Island.

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The club are still looking for another forward but won’t rush into recruiting the wrong man – and the goal-fest at Ramsgate suggests that is the right approach. A huge crowd is expected tomorrow for the Isthmian premier opener.

Tom Chalmers on the attack in Hastings' excellent 6-2 friendly win at Ramsgate | Picture: Scott WhiteTom Chalmers on the attack in Hastings' excellent 6-2 friendly win at Ramsgate | Picture: Scott White
Tom Chalmers on the attack in Hastings' excellent 6-2 friendly win at Ramsgate | Picture: Scott White

Elphick said: “The performance at Ramsgate was the closest we’ve had to the blueprint of how we want the team to play. It took my breath away, we really turned it on. "To go all that way in the heat for a friendly, you might have expected a bit of complacency or some half-hearted displays but there was none of it.

"We know it was only a friendly but it was very encouraging and shows we’re in exactly the right frame of mind for the first league match.”

Elphick said Hull – who only came on for the final 25-30 minutes – was fast proving his fitness after injury and gave him a great option up front. The boss also had praise for two-goal Chalmers: “He’s been unplayable at times in pre-season, he’s getting better and better and you run out of good things to say about him.”

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Elphick expects the premier opener to be a tough game. “I think it’ll be a bigger challenge than it might have been, because we’re playing another side who have been promoted. But we’ll have our fans there in great numbers and we can’t wait.”