Hastings United in a mini slump – boss hopes Margate and Folkestone clashes will change fortunes

Saturday’s 2-0 defeat at Haringey was the first time United had suffered a second successive defeat since Elphick took over in November 2021.

They were depleted by injuries and illness but the manager was quick to say that was no excuse for a below-par performance.

The result left them 13th in the table and eight points off the play-off places and Elphick knows a big push is needed to get them moving back up the standings – starting at home to Margate tomorrow and Folkestone on Tuesday night.

Their build-up to the game at Haringey was hit by Ryan Worrall pulling out ill on Saturday morning and Ben Pope suffering a back spasm in the warm-up.

Elphick said: “We’ve been struggling with illness and injury but we’re not making excuses.

"We’re going through a tricky period and that’s the first time we’ve lost two in a row since I took over.

"But you never stop learning and you just have to look at what’s gone wrong and put it right.

"It’s not nice losing and I can’t say we deserved anything from the game. But times like this can only make you better.

"We just didn’t get going on Saturday. The grit and determination that’s been such an important part of our game just wasn’t there.

"We conceded a terrible goal right on half-time when our goalkeeper had a bad first touch and then pandemonium broke out. And conceding at that point put us on the back foot.”

Elphick predicted that both Margate and Folkestone – 15th and 12th in the table respectively – would be tricky opponents in a campaign where there were no fixtures you could rely on for points. But he said: “We have to focus on ourselves and make sure the true Hastings turn up.”

The boss hopes both Worrall and Pope will be fit to return but Sam Hasler is unavailable for several weeks.

Elphick will be hoping new striker David Smith starts to fire – but Elphick said the onus was on the whole team to show that recent losses were just a blip.