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Ade strikes again as the fight goes on - 15/3/08

Leading scorer Ade Olorunda made it a lucky thirteen goals for the season, heading United to another vital three points, as their battle to avoid relegation continued with the narrowest of victories against Harrow Borough at the Pilot Field this afternoon. Of equal importance though, was United keeping their first clean sheet in nine matches, a run that stretches right back to Tony Dolby's first game in charge of the Club, as a strong defensive display managed to withstand Harrow's best efforts at forcing an equaliser as the match wore on. But for a goalline clearance by Rhys Whyborne, the visitors may well have emerged with a share of the spoils, although United probably did just enough to deserve the victory, with Tim Olorunda hitting the bar in a decent first half display, and Frankie Sawyer going close to sealing the win in stoppage time.

United's sixteen man squad showed just a single change from that which had triumphed over Boreham Wood seven days previously, Rhys returning from his second one match suspension in eight days to take his place at the heart of the back four, with young Ben Radley omitted. To accommodate Rhys' recall, Steve Elliott reverted to a more familiar right back role, while Danny Spice was named amongst the substitutes, of whom Frankie was the only one to see any game time. The visitors named ten of the squad that featured against United in a 1-0 victory at Earlsmead back in early December, and seven of the starting line-up from that day of stoppage time misery for United. The vastly experienced Jamie Lawrence, a veteran of Premiership campaigns in his full time career with Leicester City and Bradford City, lined up in a five man midfield, specifically charged with supporting lone striker Victor Asombang, while the imposing duo of Danny Brown and Danny Leech were key components in a back four that had kept its first clean sheet in nine matches against Horsham seven days earlier.

The visitors got off to the better start and midfielder Bobby Highton went desperately close to a third minute goal with a twenty yard shot that curled just the wrong side of Lee Worgan's left hand upright. United's first attempt on Gary Ross' goal was a long range strike from Tim, which was easily gathered, but it signalled a period of brief dominance, during which time Sam Adams and Russell Eldridge both put in dangerous crosses that had the Harrow defence struggling, and helped to earn United a trio of early corners that came to nothing. Borough again went close just before the quarter of an hour mark, when Gary Meakin's free kick picked out the unmarked Leech beyond the far post, but Lee safely gathered the defender's tame effort, before then being clattered by Lawrence after reacting quickly to clear Rhys' underhit backpass, a foul that led to the first of three Harrow cautions in the opening forty-five minutes. United burst briefly into life once more around the mid-point of the half, the catalyst being a stunning twenty-five yard shot from Tim that floated over Ross and cannoned back off the crossbar, with Lee Carey's control letting him down as he looked to take advantage of a favourable rebound. Ade tried to test Ross with a long range lob volley, but it didn't quite have the distance to overly trouble the young keeper, while Tim then wasted a great chance, heading Russell's left wing cross over the bar from barely six yards out. Another poor backpass, this time by Sam, almost let Lawrence in down the right hand side, but the ball ran out of play before Harrow could take advantage, although the visitors did finish the half on top, with Highton again failing to find his range from just outside the area, and Jimmy Elford producing a superb clearance to prevent Meakin's dangerous free kick reaching its intended target at the far post.

Not for the first time this season, United made a strong start to the second half, and took the lead within ninety seconds of the restart after a neat move down the right hand side. Sam took up possession just outside the Harrow area and flicked a pass for the overlapping Steve to chip over an inch perfect first time centre that Ade met with a trademark header back across the keeper and into the opposite corner. United were unable to build on that strike though, and Harrow, despite now missing Lawrence's talents after a half time substitution, were suddenly enjoying plenty of possession and the territorial advantage, going close to an equaliser when Jonathan Constant's corner reached Leech at the far post, only for his well struck goalbound volley to deflect wide off the unfortunate Brown. The match had become a rather quiet affair as it entered its final quarter, when a couple of defensive lapses almost let Harrow in, Nathan Russell conceding a cheap free kick, which Meakin fired wastefully over the bar, and Lee Worgan then coming off his line to punch clear a lengthy Nick Burton free kick, but failing to make contact, and left grateful that Rhys had the presence of mind to cover the goalline and ensure that Brown's header was ushered away for nothing worse than a corner. Lee made amends with a decent save at his near post from Constant's twenty yard shot, and Leech sliced tamely wide from the ensuing corner, before skipper Wayne Walters sent a looping header over the bar from Meakin's deep free kick. The longer the half wore on, the more infuriated United were becoming with some of the officiating decisions. with Ade in particular coming in for some harsh treatment from the referee, collecting a caution for persistent infringement, despite appearing to win the ball cleanly in the challenge that preceded it. But in the final ten minutes, United started to benefit from a fairer share of the decisions, and were able to break the shackles as a result, Ade and Frankie nearly combining to good effect, setting up Sam down the right for a cross that was just too heavy for Ade to grab a second goal. He did win a corner however, Lee Carey picking out the unmarked Nathan for a glancing header that appeared to be heading wide, although Meakin was on hand to clear in any case. The closing stages remained fraught with tension, despite the fact that United seemed to be comfortably defending their one goal lead, the nagging doubts caused by many a stoppage time disaster still fresh in the memories of home supporters. Frankie could have set minds at ease, but he dragged a shot just wide of goal after seizing upon a weak headed clearance by Leech, but that proved to be the last moment of drama at either end, and United were able to celebrate back to back league wins for only the fourth time this season.

Although still not at their fluent best, United have at least shown some impressive battling qualities over the last eight days, picking up six vital points along the way, to enhance their chances of retaining their Premier Division status, which had appeared all but lost after the defeat at East Thurrock. The absolutely crucial Easter Monday encounter at home to Folkestone is now just around the corner, but is preceded by a visit to mid-table Ashford in Middlesex on Good Friday afternoon.

Match facts	Efforts on target	Efforts off target	Free kicks conceded	Corners won	Offsides against
Hastings United	3	6	19	7	3
Harrow Borough	2	8	19	7	1

Hastings United (4-4-2)							Harrow Borough (4-5-1)
1 Lee Worgan							1 Gary Ross
2 Steve Elliott							2 Nick Burton
3 Jimmy Elford (c)							3 Danny Brown
4 Rhys Whyborne							4 Wayne Walters (c)
5 Nathan Russell							5 Danny Leech
6 Lee Carey							6 Bobby Highton
7 Sam Adams							7 Gary Meakin
8 Tim Olorunda							8 Jamie Lawrence
9 Ade Olorunda							9 Lee Hall
10 Danny Leach							10 Voctor Asombang
11 Russell Eldridge							11 Jonathan Constant
Substitutes
12 Danny Spice							12 Danny Nielsen
14 Frankie Sawyer (for Leach 76)							14 Danny McGonigle (for Asombang 58)
15 Matt Maclean							15 James Fraser (for Lawrence 45)
16 Antonio Gonnella							16 Kwasi Frempong
17 Nathan Simpson

Attendance 405

Referee Lloyd Rendell (Worthing)

Assistants John Pike (Hurstpierpoint) & James Slaney (Brighton)