Hastings search for striker goes on

Maidstone United's 11-goal leading scorer Richard Sinden looks to be staying put after rejecting an improved offer to move to the Pilot Field.

He follows Burgess Hill Town's talented Steve Harper in snubbing an advance from the Ryman Division One club.

Hastings United manager Steve Lovell had hoped to follow up the capture of Andy Ducille by increasing his firepower ahead of the trip to Corinthian Casuals on Saturday November 13. He also has his sights on another midfielder.

"I'm trying to get someone in before the weekend to get us goals," he said. "I've gone for a striker and a midfield player. Hopefully I will definitely have one by the weekend, that's if he agrees to come. He wants to come but it's all about the financial package. If I can work that out then he'll be with us on Saturday."

It would appear that The Stones have matched or bettered any offer from Hastings. The official Maidstone website reported: "Despite an improved offer from Hastings on Wednesday, leading goalscorer Richard Sinden has shown his loyalty to the club once again."

Lovell is desperate for a goal-scorer to bolster a team that has managed just 16 goals from 13 league games this season. "We've been lacking someone with the killer instinct to stick the ball away because we are creating chance after chance, creating set play after set play and dominating games.

"We rarely score a scruffy goal. They're either well worked or brilliant so it would be nice on Saturday to get someone to score with the ball trickling off their nose from about a yard out."

The arrival of the powerful Ducille should help the offensive side of Hastings' game. "He's a big, strong lad. He's very mobile and gets about the pitch and can break forward. I could play him anywhere on the field and you'll get something out of him but mainly he's mainly a midfield player who can break into the box," said Lovell.

Ducille, whose former clubs include Worthing, Eastbourne Borough and St Leonards, was snapped up after reportedly walking out on Sussex League Eastbourne Town.

Hastings go into the Corinthian game having not played for 10 days following the late postponement of the midweek clash away to Tooting & Mitcham due to a waterlogged pitch.

Hastings' match at Bashley, abandoned at half time earlier in the season, has been rearranged for Tuesday December 14, kick-off 7.45pm.