Listless holders offer no defence

The Blues were never really in the hunt from the moment Sean Ray headed Hastings United, being watched by new manager Neville Southall, into a 13th minute lead.

Sidley joint manager Andy Laskey lamented the absence of a competitive streak in what has to be said was a rather lame 4-0 defeat.

"I was disappointed with the way we went about it," he said. "I thought first half especially we were too far off them. At half time I was very disappointed because I thought we had done absolutely nothing apart from making Hastings look like a good side. We were not winning enough tackles and we missed Jimmy (Watson) in there. I don't know if we gave them too much respect, I just thought we were poor all round.

"We did start a bit better in the second half and I thought we had a better shape with Owen (Ball) back there (at centre-half, having played wide right in the first 45 minutes). But we let in two goals through the middle.

"Perhaps Westfield did take something out of us (they lost Watson, Jordan Wood and Chas Lister to injuries sustained during their 2-0 John O'Hara Challenge Cup victory on Saturday) but I just think we had an off night where we didn't perform anywhere near how we should have done."

Particularly in midfield where Watson's steel and composure were sorely missed. But the central region was blameless for the opening two goals which realistically decided this semi-final tie by the time 20 minutes had been played.

Ray headed home a corner delivered by former United player Russell Eldridge from inside the six yard box and Simon Rowland, who scored both goals in Whitehawk's Sussex Division One win at Gullivers last season, got half a yard on his marker from a throw in before unleashing a screaming shot in off the far post seven minutes later.

Eldridge slipped a pass through the Blues defence, which according to Laskey "swore blind it was offside", for Chris Honey to slot a 65th minute third before Danny Ellis followed up to net the fourth after Greg Thurstans had done well to repel Honey's piledriver.

Ian Oliver, who played for Hastings' reserves earlier this season, forced a diving stop out of Hastings goalkeeper Greg Nessling 10 minutes into the second half in Sidley's brightest moment of a match they'll want to forget.