Too easy for United in FA Cup

HASTINGS UNITED 2; MILE OAK 0

FOOTBALL managers will always champion the significance of results and never is that more the case than in the FA Cup.

For the second consecutive round Hastings United served up a solid result rather than a spectacular performance but it would have been difficult to have pulled off a vintage display against such abject opposition.

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Even by Sussex Division Two standards Mile Oak were poor and the Pilot Field can't have opened its doors to many weaker first team sides for many a year.

Their fitness was so far below par that they were unable to apply any pressure to Hastings when they didn't have the ball and when they did get it they didn't possess the quality to keep it, although they weren't helped by a lack of forward options as both wide midfield players barely ventured out of the full-backs' shadows.

"It was too easy in the end," said United manager Steve Lovell. "The players had too much time on the ball and started doing things they don't normally do. They got into bad habits, started running with the ball too much and shooting when they should have passed it. We could have beaten them by more but 2-0 in the FA Cup is as good as 22-0. It was just a matter of keeping a clean sheet."

Which they did, for the fourth consecutive game, with the utmost of ease. Goalkeeper Danny Knowles' role was little different to the encouraging crowd of 332, many of whom were youngsters, for much of the match as the Brighton-based club mustered just one genuine attempt on target. That single effort could have embarrassed Hastings, though, because they switched off following an injury delay right at the end of the first half and Chris Paine had an unopposed shot from six yards as a result of the ensuing free kick which Knowles half-stopped and then recovered swiftly to claw back from smack bang on the goal-line.

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But it was the visiting goal-line that was in far more danger of being breached throughout the contest, the outcome of which was fairly predictable from the first 10 minutes.

Hastings, who regularly strung together a number of passes in the central third without quite being able to replicate that form in the final segment, had gone close with a bunch of half chances until the 40th minute when Carl Rook turned in one of the better crosses from an up-and-down Russell Eldridge, enjoying oceans of room along the left flank.

Mile Oak's lack of conditioning was again exposed when Clive Jackson was caught dawdling on the ball mid-way inside his own half by Jon Wallis, who proceeded to thrust forward and slot wide of plucky goalkeeper Richard Whittington without the merest suggestion of a challenge after an hour.

Both sides then made several changes with Hastings giving Richard Bolton a run-out in defence and Dexley Fidyk up-front, and the latter might have come up with a third had the ball not got stuck to his foot right in front of goal. Chris Honey, who held off the Mile Oak defence with nigh on monotonous regularity, almost smashed home at the death as the match developed the feel of an insipid pre-season friendly.

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Hastings: Knowles 6, Elford 6, Eldridge 6, Wallis 7, Mortley 7 (Bolton 66, 6), Ray 6, Ringwood 6, Tutton 6 (Fidyk 69, 6), Honey 7, Rook 6, PETERS 7*. Subs not used: Hafner, Sayer, Nessling. Performance: 7.

Mile Oak: R. Whittington 6, J. Ash 5, Sargent 5, Silsby 5, Martin 5, Paine 5 (W. Whittington 73, 6), Read 5, Jackson 5 (M. Ash 66, 6), Burnett 5, CARDEN 6*, Whitton 5 (Eaton 70, 6). Subs not used: Harman, Bailey. Booked: Read. Performance: 5.

Referee: Lee Venamore (Maidstone) 7.

Attendance: 332.