Three Bridges 3 Hastings United 2: Bridges' end poor home run

The early signals weren’t good when Manager Paul Faili was sent to the stands for what was an obvious misinterpreted comment after only 17 minutes, but an evenly balanced game turned in the home side’s favour after 25 minutes as John Lansdale played a long ball over the top and Jamie Brotherton raced clear of the Hastings defence to drill his shot under keeper Harry Doherty.

When Doherty raced out of his goal five minutes later, the ever busy Steve Sargent was only just over as he hit a forty yard shot first time, but two minutes after that Tony Garrod sent over the perfect cross from the right for the impressive Sammy MacVicar to head home at the far post.

And by the 38th minute it was 3-0 as Garrod challenged and the ball ran loose to Brotherton, who netted with an audacious chip as the visiting defenders scrambled back in vain.

But three minutes before the interval, Hastings were awarded a penalty for a trip and Hastings’ most dangerous player at that point, left back Sam Cole, made no mistake from the spot.

Hakeem Adelakun skimmed the crossbar as Bridges tried to extend their advantage after the break, while Sam Adams fired just wide for Hastings. On the hour, a good move involving Mark Pulling, Abu Touray and Adelakun ended with Garrod shooting straight at Doherty, and the ball was swiftly delivered to the opposite end where a shot by Chris Cumming-Bart deflected off Lansdale into the bottom corner.

Hastings now fancied an equaliser and when Robin Deen sent Tyrell Richardson-Brown clear on the right, it needed an excellent block by Kieron Thorp to prevent the visitors from achieving their aim.

But despite a lot of attacks by the visitors, Thorp was rarely troubled after that, and much credit must go to a mean Bridges back-four. Jamie Crellin, Drew Cooney and Lansdale were all excellent again, and so too was Pulling, playing in an unusual (for him) left back role in the absence of Nigel Brake, Matt Daniel and Matt Whitehead. He even broke forward and tried an ambitious shot, but it was his organisational skills that shone out.

Bridges might have had a couple more goals themselves through Touray and Adelakun, but the win was very welcome.

Bridges: Thorp; Lansdale; Pulling; Sargent; Cooney; Crellin; MacVicar (Touray 54); Godfrey; Adelakun; Garrod (Casselman 70); J.Brotherton. Unused subs: Barry; Newman-Knott; Jones

Attendance: 108

Aerotron Man of the Match: Jamie Brotherton

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