The Pilot Field, home of Hastings United based in East Sussex and play their trade in Step 3 of the Non League Pyramid in the Isthmian League Premier Division. Nicknamed the “U’s” as it’s in the name “United”.
A big trip across the country for me that I have had planned for weeks! Murmurs of the club moving grounds? Losing it’s iconic stand? When these rumours start flying around, there’s only one thing to do! GO! One of Mike Bayly’s 100, this ground CANNOT be missed! Just under 4 hours it’s going to take me to get here making it my longest drive to a ground but I’m certain this will be worth it from what other hoppers say!
Saturday 1st April is finally here… “Pitch Inspection at 11am…” Please don’t do this! I can’t miss this ground! I’m already missing my Wisewood girls game today for this… It’s 9am now and I am in my car, 2 hours to Toddington services from Shirebrook which will get me there for 11am and to see the verdict of the pitch inspection and whether Plan B will need to be deployed.
So it’s down the M1 I go and 2 hours later, I am off at Toddington and pulled up in the car park of a pub. So what’s the verdict……? GAME ON!!! Hastings United vs Herne Bay is going ahead as planned! Phew! 2 and a half hours to the ground… Wait what?! Traffic with the looks of things on the M25… I guess they knew what they were doing on The Fast Show all those years ago with that particular sketch. “You didn’t wanna come in on the M25!”
So it’s back on to the M1 and now onto the M25… Variable speed limits and queues… *SIGH* It’s the first time I’ve ever driven on the M25… And hopefully my last… About an hour and a bit later and I am finally off the M25 and onto the A21… This is better! It is a nice little drive is the A21! 2pm and I am finally here in Hastings and pulled up in Hastings United Sports & Social Club! Getting out of the car never felt so good!
£12 to watch this Isthmian League tie! Yikes… Manchester City 4-1 Liverpool… The traffic on the M25 doesn’t seem so bad now… Time rolls on and the players are in the tunnel as 3pm looms. The teams are out! Sussex by the sea, let’s have a good game for thee!
Kick Off! “We are the bay! We are the bay! We are we are we are the bay!” The travelling Herne Bay fans are making some good noise so far! They’ve got a flare as well!
“Long live the pilot field! Long love the pilot field!” Hastings fans are giving it a good go themselves at the other end with a drum as well! Nothing to report in the game so far but Hastings are certainly having more of the possession.
16 minutes in and Hastings play down the right, it’s crossed in, Joe Gbode controls and makes space for the shot… And he finds the net!! Good finish! Hastings lead here! 1-0!
3 minutes later and Hastings play a long ball out to the right, it’s played into the box, the Herne Bay defender miss reads it and Sam Adams is in… OH! It’s saved! What a chance that is! That should easily be 2-0 to Hastings!
“Wooooaah! Everywhere we go! Watching Hastings United! Putting on a show!” Hastings fans in great spirits now!
21 minutes now and it’s a corner for Hastings, in it comes… It’s headed away but only for Craig Stone to volley… BANG! Fantastic strike! It is 2 now! And Hastings are cruising! 2-0!
28th minute now and Herne Bay come forward, they get it forward and they’re in the box on the right, it’s played across for Jerson Dos Santos… He gets there first… And finds the net!! He put his body on the line there and it’s 2-1! Game on!
33 minutes on the clock and the Hastings keeper has the ball in the box, he plays it out… Oh dear! It’s gone straight to Marcel Barrington for Herne Bay, he shoots… He’s lobbed the keeper and they’re level! Wow! Just like that and Hastings have given Herne Bay the equaliser! 2-2!
38 minutes gone now and it’s another corner for Hastings, it’s whipped in… it’s flicked on at the near post… OH and off the line by Connor Diamond for Herne Bay! it’s not done yet as Hasting’s Freddie Legg battles with the defender… He goes down… He’s got a corner, the Hastings fans think it was a foul but it is a corner, in it comes again… The Referee blows for a free kick for Herne Bay much to the dismay of the Hastings fans…
43 minutes now and Herne Bay play forward, Jerson Dos Santos is played in, look at this! He’s around the keeper… AND HE’S SCORED!! What on earth is happening here?! The Hastings fans can’t believe it… The Herne Bay fans are going bananas! 2-3! From 2-0 down! What a half of football!
“We’re worth the £12! We’re Hastings United! We’re worth the £12!” They certainly are with this! At half time, amazingly it is 3-2 to Herne Bay!
Second half… Fans are merged together behind the goal! Some of the Herne Bay fans have stayed at this end and chants are being sung back at each other.
“Straight up straight down! Straight up straight down!” Hastings fans making a jibe at Herne Bay’s promotion last season to relegation battle this season. “Does your mummy know you’re here?!” There’s more!
63rd minute and Hastings play down the right, it’s crossed in… AND IT’S HEADED FIRMLY IN!! Carnage behind the goal here!! 3-3! Jack Dixon with the equaliser for Hastings!
Hastings are pushing for a winner now as the game rolls on, will they find it?!
82 minutes played and it’s a long throw in to the box for Hastings from the right, it’s headed down, the shot… Blocked! Another shot… It comes to a Hastings man in the six yard box… But he’s Offside! Keeper claims the ball in the meantime.
1 minute later and Herne Bay come forward, Marcel Barrington has it and shoots from 25 yards… Oooooh! Good save! Corner, in it comes… Cleared by Hastings.
Into injury time now and it’s a free kick for Hastings from around 35 yards, it’s taken quickly and played out to the right, Herne Bay win it but don’t clear their lines, David Smith drives forward and plays it through… It rolls out for a goal kick… Hastings continue to press… But they will have to settle with a draw!
On foot back now to the car for the long drive home… The fans are still behind the goal… Oh dear! Not the scenes you want to see at the football…
FT: Hastings United 3-3 Herne Bay
Ratings
- Atmosphere: 9/10 – Really good from both sets of fans despite the scenes at the end! Herne Bay certainly has moved up the list of grounds to visit with their fanbase but the Hastings fans certainly had the place rocking at times!
- The Ground: 10/10 – Unreal! I said 10/10 before I walked in after seeing that stand from the Sports & Social Club! That stand is a thing of beauty! The stand behind the goal is old school as well! It’s just a special ground that ALL groundhoppers should visit!!
- Expense: 10/10 – Were they worth the £12? Yes they were! As for the fuel……
- Overall Experience: 9.5/10 – Well worth the near 4 hour journey today! I just wish there was a winner in there for someone! It was set up for a grandstand finish! I’m just delighted to have seen this ground before anything was to change!
38.5/40
The ugly scenes at the end, were caused by the fact the Hastings fans took down two of our flags, throwing one in the bin and another behind the stand. You disrespect any club like that don’t complain when there are consequences!
Yeah that’s pretty bad that is! It’s a shame because I thought both sets of fans were pretty good for most of the game
It’s all on video I’m afraid, Herne Bay deliberately stayed in our end after the break, clearly just to insight trouble. Anyone who’s been to non league games knows that fans swap ends each half, Herne Bay clearly just causing trouble here. When we went to your place there was nothing, but you come here and cause upset, your support was an embarrassment on your club. One of our supporters was assaulted in front of his kids and had a phone stolen, just shows you what type of “supporters“ you brought. Bay fans were also heard saying they’re going to show up at our next fixture in Potters Bar and cause us some grief, strange priorities given their away game to Lewes on the same day. Most Hastings fans like myself had hoped Herne Bay would stay up and generally we liked your support but with these scenes, seems relegation would suit you well.