Injury ravaged VCD Athletic claimed a hard earned point against Hastings United but they were so close to claiming all three.

Having gone ahead with five minutes remaining, the Vickers were pegged back by an equaliser five minutes later from a hotly disputed throw in.

Had Hastings gone home empty handed, they might have felt aggreived as they had the better of the first seventy minutes but VCD’s makeshift defence kept them out and the hosts took the initiative in the closing stages.

Sam Beale hit an early shot wide for Hastings then Joe Mant was out quickly to head away when Callum Davies got in behind.

Jonathan Adebayo had a shot saved by Charlie Horlock at the other end before Davies side footed a volley wide from Davide Rodari’s cross.

Davies had another chance when sent away by Ansu Janneh but as he rounded Mant, the Vickers goalkeeper stuck out a foot for a perfectly timed tackle to take it away from the Hastings striker.

Janneh then cut in but fired a fierce drive from a tight angle beyond the far post then Sam Adams had a free kick caught by a diving Mant.

Once more, Janneh and Davies combined well but the latter smashed his shot against the bar when clean through.

Alfie Cue, on debut, sent Warren Mfula away for the Vickers but he dragged his shot wide then Cue shot over after being presented with the opporunity by Adebayo.

Rodari had the last chance of the half with a low drive that was pushed round superbly by a diving Mant.

Five minutes into the second half Hastings looked like they would score but Davies’ miscued shot was scrambled off the line.

Mant again had to come out and head away before he made a good low save as Antonio Walker-Darth fired through a forest of legs.

Finally, Davies did get around Mant but Jeffrey Imudia got back to clear.

After that, VCD started to impose themselves. Marc Gorbell, back following a long term injury, had a headrr cleared off the line by Ollie Rowe then Alastair Gordon had a shot saved brilliantly by Horlock. Although Aymun El-Moyhalbel followed up, he was unable to finish.

Two of his crosses caused havoc. First his corner was headed back by Junior Baker but Adebayo couldn’t finish it, then the same two combined again but couldn’t trouble Horlock.

El-Moyhalbel was not to be denied, though, and when substitute Jeffery Oyamfi sent him away he finished with a fierce drive.

However, Hastings weren’t finished and after Rowe received the ball from a throw in that VCD felt should have been awarded to them, the Hastings full back fired a twenty yard low drive into the bottom corner.

VCD Athletic: Mant, Adeyoola, Imudia, Baker, Gorbell, Blackwood, Adebayo, Gordon, Mfula, Tye (Gyamfi 66), El-Moyhalbel.

Subs not used: Kamar, Ita, Jubrill, Camara.

Hastings United: Horlock, Rowe, Beale, Adams, Christie, Cruttwell, Rodari, Dixon (Taggart 50), Davies, Janneh, Walker-Darth (Kieran 70).

Subs not used: Climpson, Pritchard, Greig.

 

VCD Athletic:

Goalscorers :  El-Moyhalbel (85)

Yellow cards: Imudia

Red cards: None

 

Hastings United:

Goalscorers: Rowe (90)

Yellow cards: None

Red cards: None

 

Referee: Kanr Dempster

Assistants:.Peter Georgiou and Errol Walker

 

Attendance: 81

 

Man of the Match: Joe Mant

Pictures supplied by Dave Budden.