Chatham were hit for seven by a rampant Hastings team even though it was all square at half time.

This extends their winless run to 7 games and it’s going to be a hard slog to get out of the relegation spots.

The first half was a game of half chances which either side could take, in the 2^nd minute a Hastings corner into the area was half cleared to Simon Johnson whose first time shot went wide but he would make up later on.

In the 8^th minute Moses Ashikodi broke down the left crossed into the area was flicked on by a defender for Tom Youngs who just couldn’t get enough touch on it as his shot hit the side netting.

Two minutes later Ollie Lee saw his header from a corner go wide of the post. In this see saw first half it was Chatham’s turn and in the 15^th minute Luke Medley tried his luck from 20 yards and his shot went just past the post.

In the 23^rd minute Hastings should have scored when Frannie Collin was released down the left wing and his low cross was retrieved by Matt Bodkin whose cross to the back post found Collin and his volley from 10 yards was saved by Alex Hyde at the second attempt.

In the 27^th minute Kiernan Hughes-Mason in the area shot from 10 yards was saved by Hyde’s legs, in the next few minutes Hastings peppered the Chatham goal without hitting the target then in the 39^th minute Youngs on the left received the ball on the left cut inside and saw his shot hit the side netting.

In the 44^th minute Tom Climpson tried his luck from 25 yards and it hit the crossbar then in the time added on Collin forced Hyde to tip his shot over the bar.

The second half started with Josh Jackson on the right trying his luck from 20 yards but it went just wide, two minutes later Hastings thought they had taken the lead when a cross into the 6 yard box was headed in by Collin but the referee gave a foul against the former Gillingham and Maidstone United striker.

In the 52^nd minute they did take the lead when a cross into the area was half cleared to the edge of the area where Johnson was and his shot beat Hyde. In the very next minute Chatham nearly equalised when Youngs crossed to Jackson and his shot was saved Lenny Pidgeley.

In the next minute it was nearly two when the ball went across the area and Bodkin on the far post mishit his shot wide of the post when it seemed easier to score.

Hastings were now in total control and in the 70^th minute they increased their lead when Bodkin on the right wing crossed low for Johnson to score his second, five minutes later it was three when Bodkin on the right wing cut inside beating three defenders and from 10 yards shot home.

In the 81^st minute Johnson completed his hat trick when he shot home from 20 yards, two minutes later Collin was put through and from the edge of the area shot in, Chatham were shell shocked and with 7 minutes plus added on time they wanted the full time whistle but Hastings had other ideas.

In the 88^th minute Hughes-Mason was in on goal but his shot was tipped over by Hyde, but in the 90^th minute Hughes-Mason retrieved the ball and crossed to the back post where Jack Harris was and he headed in from 5 yards and in the 90^th +3 added on minutes substitute Harry Stannard was put through and he shot past Hyde.

The final whistle went and the Chatham players did not know where to look or go in what was a very ordinary performance whilst Hastings after the break showed their class.

 

CHATHAM TOWN:

1. HYDE       2. J.ABOAGYE     3. M.PATTERSON 4. F.ROGERS  5. J.DIFFORD  6. L.HICKEY  7. M.ASHIKODI  8. J.JACKSON 9. L.MEDLEY (80)  10. J.KAFFO    11. T.YOUNGS (61)

SUBS USED:  17. C.BEARMAN-DYCE (61)  12. J.CAMPBELL (80)

SUBS NOT USED:  14. R.FLACK   15. A.LYOUBI  16. L.ROSENFIELD

BOOKINGS: 11. T.YOUNGS (24)

 

HASTINGS UNITED:

1. PIDGELEY  2. T.CLIMPSON  3. J.THORBOURNE   4. S.CRUTWELL  5. R.DAVIS  6. O.ROWE  7. M.BODKIN (78) 8. S.JOHNSON 9. K.HUGHES-MASON  10. F.COLLIN (81)      11. B.COGAN (81)

SUBS USED: 14. H.STANNARD (78)  12. J.HARRIS (81)  15. B.PRITCHARD (81)

SUBS NOT USED:  16. T.JARVIS   17. R.NICHOLLS

BOOKINGS: 2. T.CLIMPSON (25)  5. R.DAVIS (68)

 

REFEREE:  Mr M.MARSH

ASSISTANTS:  Mr R.JOSS  &  Mr A.STEELE

ATTENDANCE: 223