Lansdale secures victory for Bridges in battle of Hastings

Hastings United v Three Bridges football action - Bridges celebrate their winning goal SUS-160702-191729002

Hastings United 0

A rare goal from John Lansdale secured the points for Bridges in what proved to be a comfortable win in the end.

Hastings United v Three Bridges football action - Jamie Crellin (yellow & black kit) SUS-160702-191956002

The one sour note was the dismissal of Nigel Brake for a second bookable offence in the fifth of the eight additional minutes.

Hastings huffed and puffed for much of the game and their own statistician recorded just two shots on target for them throughout the proceedings.

A good run by Chris Cumming-Bart in the sixth minute ended with him pulling his final shot wide and the potentially dangerous Billy Medlock also fired wide.

But it was Bridges who went ahead after 25 minutes when Sammy MacVicar headed on to Lansdale, who ran on and placed his shot beyond keeper Harry Girling into the far corner of the net.

Hastings United v Three Bridges football action SUS-160702-192007002

It could have been two shortly after as Tony Garrod and Jamie Brotherton combined to set up MacVicar, but his soft shot stuck in Girling’s legs.

Lansdale, who was always in the thick of the action, attempted an audacious shot from the half-way line early in the second half, whilst Hakeem Adelakun curled a good effort just wide. Hastings had to respond and a decent spell produced a decent headed chance for Sean Ray.

But the Bridges defence was in defiant mood and special credit must go to two of their newest recruits in centre back Drew Cooney and right back Dan Mobsby, both of whom threw their bodies in the way of any United threats.

Kieron Thorp was finally called into action just after the hour when he comfortably held onto a free-kick from range by Sam Cruttwell, while the busy Medlock had a goal ruled out for a foul.

At the other end a good move ended with Adelakun shooting straight at the keeper.

Hastings were becoming desperate and frustrated with the visitors’ stout defending.

But just after Brake’s first caution, another free-kick by Cruttwell needed to be tipped over the bar by Thorp, and two minutes into added time Cruttwell again came close with a drive that went just over.

But Bridges were worth the three points and can take heart from a much improved performance after the disappointing midweek defeat at home to South Park.

Bridges: Thorp, Mobsby, Brake, Lansdale, Cooney, Crellin, Brotherton (Sargent 79), Godfrey, Garrod, Adelakun (Casselman 85), MacVicar (Whitehead 68).

Unused subs: Pulling, Daniel.

Attendance: 370

Aerotron Man of the Match: Dan Mobsby