Hastings United boss: We're winning - but nowhere near our best yet

Hastings United have won four games in a row – but manager Chris Agutter is warning their rivals they’ve still got a few gears to go up.
Ben Pope heads in at Sevenoaks / Picture: Scott WhiteBen Pope heads in at Sevenoaks / Picture: Scott White
Ben Pope heads in at Sevenoaks / Picture: Scott White

Back-to-back victories on the road at Sevenoaks and Burgess Hill in the past week have sent United soaring into the top six, making their slow start to the campaign a fading memory.

They won 4-1 at Sevenoaks on Saturday with a double by Ben Pope and goals from Gary Elphick and Sam Hasler, while Hasler scored his fifth in four games in Tuesday’s 3-2 win at Burgess Hill, where Dave Martin and Ollie Black also netted.

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But Agutter says Hastings are ‘nowhere near’ their best yet.

With the likes of injured duo Lloyd Dawes – who may return this weekend – and Ryan Worrall to come back into the side, Agutter is confident his team will only get better as the season continues.

United have a break from the league now. They go to step five side Broadfields United in the FA Cup second qualifying round on Saturday then host AFC Dunstable in the FA Trophy a week later.

Agutter said: “At Sevenoaks we could have scored more than four. We could have had seven.

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“The Burgess Hill game look like it was tight from the result, but it wasn’t. We went 3-0 up and might have had four, five or six but then they got one back after an interesting decision for a free-kick and it ended up 3-2.

“We’re winning games but we’re nowhere near our best. I wouldn’t say we’re clicking into gear – I’d say we’ve got a few gears to go up yet.”

The prediction of better football to come applies to those at the back as well as the midfield and forwards.

Agutter said: “If you look at the goals we’re conceding, we’re not being cut through or pulled apart, they’re down to individual errors which I hope as we get into the season will disappear.”

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Agutter is keen to keep their winning run going at Broadfields, who play in the Spartan South Midlands League premier division.

He acknowledged his side would be favourites to go through but added: “We need to respect them and take them seriously.”

Agutter expects another large following of United fans and said: “Our supporters who travel away are brilliant and at the moment they are quite often outnumbering the home fans.”