Under-23s conquer Hastings

Our Under-23s marched on in their pre-season preparations with a 3-0 win over Hastings United on Tuesday evening.

On a night to honour long-serving Hastings captain Sam Adams, Dilan Markanday opened the scoring for us, lashing home from close range just seven minutes in. He then turned provider on 34 minutes, crossing for Brooklyn Lyons-Foster to head home and double the lead, before Kion Etete came off the bench in the second half to add our third with a fine turn and finish.

Under the lights on the south coast, we immediately took the game to the hosts as we looked to keep up our 100 per cent pre-season record at this level - 6-0 and 4-0 wins having already been earned over Ramsgate and Enfield Town respectively so far this summer. We were unlucky not to have the lead on six minutes as Max Robson drew a good save from Louie Rodgers but, after Alfie Devine worked the Hastings goalkeeper a minute later, Markanday was alert to the rebound and instinctively fired home from close range.

We were lucky to keep that advantage come the ninth minute though as Tom Chalmers managed to beat the offside trap, however, after the winger had progressed into the box, he sliced his effort wide from the angle. That nervy moment seemed to fire us back into life as, from there, we kicked on in search of a second.

Then, in the space of 10 minutes, Rafferty Pedder and Jamie Bowden twice came close to extending our advantage, but again Rodgers proved a stubborn opponent between the sticks, keeping us at bay. However, on 34 minutes, the goalkeeper could do nothing to prevent Lyons-Foster from powering home a header from six yards out after he was picked out by a fine cross from Markanday. We should have then had our third with two minutes of the half remaining, but Pedder saw his near-post effort well blocked.

Heading out for the second half, it was our hosts who took the impetus after we had made a flurry of changes at the break. On 53 minutes they came very close to registering through Sam Hasler as he broke away and sent an effort towards goal, however Lyons-Foster was alert to the forward’s low-range drive, repositioning himself well to block and clear the danger. We soon settled back into the game though and by 64 minutes, we had our third of the evening.

Romaine Mundle had come close to making it 3-0 moments earlier as he turned and struck with vigour from the edge of the box, only for Rodgers to get down well and parry. Yet, the goalkeeper couldn’t do anything to deny Etete when the striker tried the same skill and strike, rattling the ball home from just inside the area with 19 minutes of the second period played.

The lively Mundle then came close to making it four on 70 minutes as he tried to find the bottom corner from distance, only to be thwarted once more by Rodgers. Etete then stung the palms of the Hastings keeper with a fierce drive late on. United enjoyed a spell of possession in the latter stages of the encounter as they looked to get on the scoresheet, but our defence held firm to collect their third win and clean sheet of pre-season.

Match data

Goals: Spurs - Markanday 7, Lyons-Fosters 34, Etete 64.

Venue: The TGS Pilot Field.

Weather: Cloudy, 17 degrees.