Hastings Hornets 0 The Atha 2
The Atha completed their deadly double over Hastings Hornets today and their was little the home side could do about it.
This time there were no dodgy refereeing decisions to hide behind and the Stripes just came up short in all departments.
Was there a major difference between this Atha team and the outfit that got thumped five-nil by the big boys a few short days ago? Yes. And it was a massive difference in the shape of Big Wes. He is a splendid all round footballer who combines a granite-tough core with the deftness of a ballerina. A great signing for the A’s and other managers are drooling at the prospect of having him in their squad.
His Beckhamesque shot from inside his own half produced a goal that sank the Hornets just minutes after kick off. Was it a speculative effort? Would a different keeper have saved it? Did he mean it? All questions ruled irrelevant by VAR because Big Wes thumped it, on target, and it went in.
The Atha never really looked back. Pete the Keep had to limp off with a pulled calf and Ricky DLTN donned the jersey. It’s a substitution no opposition striker wants to see. And while the roving Rickster – just back from Barcelona – did his great work to keep the score down at his end, Stumpy was doing the same at the other end. He made a few outstanding saves and the Hornets’ strike force couldn’t breakthrough his stubborn gnomely stance.
Buoyed by the return of Deadeye Chris, the home side went looking for goals but came up, well, short. Matty Longshanks had the lion’s share of chances with half a dozen efforts but the Riddler, Chairs and Deadeye had at least a couple each which, on other days, they might have buried.
Chris Turner’s return party was spoiled by Big Wes who had him in his enormous pocket all afternoon.
And when Trigger, a perpetual thorn in the Hornets side, his bag of silver jingling on his hip, toe-poked home the second goal with ten minutes to go, the die was cast.
The Atha brought on HR Hassan to help park the bus for the last few minutes, a brave move with his propensity for losing the ball, but park it they did and ref Phil Couzens wasn’t hearing any home side appeals for time wasting.
It was game management done properly.
Man of the match? Big Wes. A super goal, constant encouragement of his team around him and overwhelming confidence.
