‘We need help’ – Ray says patched-up Hastings United squad are giving all without reward

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Sean Ray says his Hastings United players are giving everything and not getting the results to match their efforts – but admits: We need help.

United lost 1-0 at home to Cray Valley in an Isthmian premier game on Saturday and by the same score in a Sussex Senior Cup third round tie at Bognor in midweek.

He is frustrated at basic mistakes that are hurting them, but says the injury-hit squad are giving their all.

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Stand-in boss Ray says the 17th-placed side’s next two games – at Hendon on Saturday and at home to Carshalton on Tuesday – may determine whether they spend the season looking up... or over their shoulders.

Hastings battle at Bognor | Picture by Trevor StaffHastings battle at Bognor | Picture by Trevor Staff
Hastings battle at Bognor | Picture by Trevor Staff

At Bognor Tom Howard’s red card after 30 minutes made it a struggle but they kept it at 0-0 until nine minutes from time.

"We killed ourselves in the first half. We started all right but made a stupid mistake – again, got punished and had ten men for over an hour,” Ray said in an interview with club media chief Adam Smith.

"They’re good players but the decision making at times kills us. We went down to ten and then rode our luck a bit for the rest of the first half. We regrouped at half-time and in the second half we were better.

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"We carried a threat on the break at times, Yes we rode our luck but you’re going to do that with ten men – you can’t just sit in behind the ball for the whole 45.

“We got out three or four times but there was no quality in that final third.

"I’m not going to fault their desire, their commitment, it’s really tough for them. They are working their hardest, putting a shift in all across the pitch. No-one’s shirking away from it.

"They’re not giving up when we go a goal down and we should have had two penalties. They’re fighting, they’re not throwing the towel in, but they’re struggling.

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"We need help. We’ve got a goalkeeper hobbling on one leg, the bench was light, we’re carrying injuries across the squad, two or three players shouldn’t have been playing but were. We’ve no other options.

“If we can get two positive results it can turn our season around. or do we throw the towel in then be in a relegation fight? We need to make sure we get help around the squad.

"They will keep fighting. They’re committed. And the fans are absolutely superb – look how they’ve turned out in numbers.”

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