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United's cup interests disappear down the Pan - 7/11/07

United were eliminated from a second cup competition in the space of four days at the Dripping Pan this evening, as Conference South side Lewes knocked them out of the Sussex Senior Cup at the third round stage, and left Nigel Kane's side with only the league to concentrate on for the remainder of the season. There seemed to be a huge gulf in class between the two teams throughout the first half, and it came as quite a shock when Ade Olorunda's superb solo effort gave United the lead just before the half hour mark. Lewes fought back and took advantage of two defensive lapses to edge in front at the interval, as well as twice hitting the woodwork, before extending their lead from the penalty spot midway through the second half. United put in a strong finish though and caused the home defence a few anxious moments after Lee Carey's deflected twenty-five yard shot had reduced the deficit with thirteen minutes remaining, but the home side's superior quality was enough to see them through in the end.

This was to be United's first match after the confirmation of skipper Sean Ray's release from the Club, although Sean had not featured in Saturday's game at Uxbridge either. Nigel actually made only two changes from the weekend starting line-up, Jani Seitsonen deputising for the rested Lee Worgan in goal, and Rhys Whyborne recalled to partner Kevin Rose in the heart of a flat back four, with Danny Spice dropping to the bench, where he was joined by the returning Scott Kirkwood and Nathan Russell, as well as new signing Antonio Gonnella. Matt Darby dropped out of the squad, while injury again robbed United of Tim Olorunda's services in midfield. The Lewes line-up showed eight changes from the side that had crushed Sutton 4-0 in the Blue Square South at the weekend. Only strikers Leroy Griffiths and Matt Groves and left winger Kirk Watts retained their places, as the home side prepared understandably cautiously for their upcoming FA Cup first round tie at Mansfield Town. Even so, there was no lack of quality on display, and any side that can count former Arsenal midfielder Ian Selley as a second string alternative clearly has some strength in depth!

The home side instantly settled into a fine passing rhythm and United found themselves chasing shadows at times, lucky not to fall behind in the early stages, as Tom Davis and Griffiths both wasted good openings. United finally had a sight of goal in the thirteenth minute, Sam Adams heading a Russell Eldridge cross into the six yard box, only for Ade to be penalised for a dubious foul on keeper Aaron France, and play quickly returned to the other end, where Leon Legge's header from Selley's corner was brilliantly saved by Jani, who produced a copycat stop to deny the same player a few minutes later. Jani again saved superbly to push away Andy Drury's eighteen yard shot, but there was a sense that United had weathered the storm around the mid-point of the half, Ade going close from Russell's long ball, and then suddenly producing a moment of magic to give United a shock lead, collecting possession thirty yards from goal and beating two defenders on his way into the left hand side of the area, before clipping a delightful shot over the advancing France and into the corner. An upset briefly appeared to be on the cards, but United's failure to preserve their lead for more than seven minutes proved costly, poor marking at the far post allowing Drury to head a Watts cross firmly past Jani to bring Lewes back on level terms in the thirty-fifth minute. Tom Davis then struck the outside of Jani's right hand post with a twenty-five yard shot, before the home side deservedly edged in front in the last minute of the half, Legge afforded all sorts of time and space to volley home from Drury's right wing free kick.

Former Charlton and Bolton defender Anthony Barness replaced the injured Steve Elliott at half time for Lewes and was soon causing trouble down the United right, linking with Groves and firing a shot just wide. Groves and Jamie Cade then combined to set up Davis for a stinging drive that Jani gathered at the second attempt, before Ade was off target with a couple of half chances at the other end. In the sixty-fourth minute, Drury attacked at pace down the Lewes right, exposing Russell's defensive limitations as he powered past him and into the area, whereupon a tangle of legs saw Drury go to ground for a soft penalty, which Davis comfortably dispatched to apparently put the hosts in command at two goals clear. But it was at that point that Nigel Kane's three earlier substitutes all started to have an effect on the game, with the unlikely pairing of Scott and Nathan winning plenty of possession in the middle of the field, and Antonio showing some neat touches on the right. Scott very nearly got on the end of Ade's deep cross from the right, only denied by Cade's well timed challenge, while Russell saw a twenty yard free kick deflected over the bar by Selley, the chance created when Ade was upended by Lewes skipper Paul Kennett for what must have been a borderline professional foul. United got back into the game in the seventy-seventh minute when Lee Carey's speculative thirty yard shot took a huge deflection off Legge and wrongfooted France, while barely two minutes later, Lee dragged a twenty yard effort agonisingly wide, as United maintained a late assault on the home goal. France completed a sprawling save to keep out Ade's header from Russell's corner, and some fine defending from Legge prevented Ade from racing clear onto Antonio's astute pass. In the end though, United just ran out of steam, with Legge and Watts both going close to adding a fourth goal for Lewes in the final couple of minutes, leaving United to reflect on what might have been had it not been for those first half errors that allowed Lewes to take control of the game.

It is now six seasons since United progressed beyond the third round (the last sixteen) of the Senior Cup, although they can point to the fact that the draw has seldom been particularly kind, in this and other cup competitions. The number one priority will always be the league though of course, and United will at least have no further distractions in the remaining six months of their campaign, as they try to retain thier Premier Division status.

Match facts	Efforts on target	Efforts off target	Free kicks conceded	Corners won	Offsides against
Lewes	8	8	15	7	1
Hastings United	5	4	18	6	3

Lewes (4-4-2)							Hastings United (4-4-2)
1 Aaron France							1 Jani Seitsonen
2 Steve Elliott							2 Jimmy Elford (c)
3 Jamie Cade							3 Russell Eldridge
4 Ian Selley							4 Rhys Whyborne
5 Leon Legge							5 Kevin Rose
6 Paul Kennett (c)							6 John Bradley
7 Andy Drury							7 Danny Ellis
8 Tom Davis							8 Dan Williams
9 Leroy Griffiths							9 Ade Olorunda
10 Matt Groves							10 Sam Adams
11 Kirk Watts							11 Lee Carey
Substitutes
12 Paul Booth (for Drury 72)							12 Scott Kirkwood (for Williams 58)
14 Anthony Barness (for Elliott 45)							14 Nathan Russell (for Bradley 64)
15 Simon Wormull							15 Danny Spice
16 Dale Binns							16 Antonio Gonnella (for Ellis 54)
GK Steve Williams							17 Matt Maclean

Attendance 233

Referee Grant Smith

Assistants Ryan Ellis & Darren Eaton