After a weekend without competitive action, Phoenix Sports commence 2019 with a Bostik League South East Division match with Hastings United. 
It will be start as the South Coast side are currently second in the division, eight points behind league leaders Cray Wanderers and five points ahead of the pack.
Home games have not gone well for Phoenix this season. They have won just two games this season, only Herne Bay in the league have won fewer, and their last game at the Mayplace Ground was a two-nil defeat to local rivals VCD Athletic.
However, Hastings have been beaten four times on the road and are not invincible. They did have a game last week, defeating Sittingbourne five-nil at home. Jack Dixon scored a hat-trick and all five goals were notched in the first half.
When the two teams met at Pilot Field earlier in the season, Hastings claimed a three-nil win. Daniel Ajakiaye put the hosts ahead and doubled their lead seven minutes after the break. Dixon added a third four minutes later and the Sports’ misery was compounded by the dismissal of Kweku Ansah in injury time.
Two of the leagues hot-shots will be on show. Ajakaiye has scored fifteen time this season and is joint second in the league’s goal-scoring charts. Three goals behind is Phoenix striker Jeff Duah-Kessie in fourth place.
Paul Byron will be looking to get his team back on course and challenging for the play-offs. They haven’t won since 10th November when claiming a two-one win at Sevenoaks Town. They are eight points behind fifth placed Ashford United but have played a game fewer. A good run could launch them back into contention for post season football.