Tooting Win Battle Of Hastings

A solid and robust ten man Tooting won today’s battle at Hastings to make it 13 wins in a row and extend their lead at the top of Ryman League South to 9 points over nearest rivals Dorking Wanderers who were without a fixture today.

Tooting had much of the opening period with the majority of the game played in the Hastings half of the pitch. It was Hastings though who had the first opportunity, about 20 minutes in, when Matt Bodkin broke forward down the Terrors’ left, cut in towards goal but then dragged his shot wide of the far post.

A critical point in the game came on 34 minutes when Tooting’s Peter Wedgeworth received a straight red card for a tackle from behind on Matt Bodkin. On this occasion the Terrors’ management team opted to keep a back four which resulted in Tenny Adebowale coming on as left back at the expense of Claudio Hoban who was sacrificed in midfield. The remaining 10 minutes of the half passed without any further incident and despite Tooting being a man down, the work rate displayed meant that it was barely noticeable.

Tooting started the second half strongly and the continued high work rate ensured that the ten men of Tooting matched their opponents, with Quincy Rowe outstanding in the centre of a defence that dealt with everything that was thrown at them. At the other end, Mike Dixon and Biily Dunn, ably supported by Dan Clements and both full backs continued to worry the Hastings defence whilst Kevin MacLaren and Chace O’Neill held things together in midfield. The only goal of the game though came on 74 minutes from a most unlikely source, when left back Tenny Adebowale picked up the ball inside his own half and began to run from a central position toward the Hastings goal. As he continued his run, beating the Hastings midfield, rather than closing him down, the Hastings back line back peddled, allowing him to get within firing range on the edge of the penalty area. As he came within sight of goal he took aim and sent a perfect curling, left footed, strike, past Lenny Pidgley in the Hastings goal and into the back of the net for his first goal for TMUFC. Trigger wild celebrations from the bench and terraces as the delighted full back raced towards the dugout before being swamped and buried beneath a sea of bodies. Tooting continued to look strong for the reminder of the game although had to survive a double scare in the 89th minute when Hastings, pressing forward in search of an equaliser struck the Terrors’ crossbar twice within the space of 15 seconds. In reality though, despite playing for almost an hour with 10 men that the only occasion that Kyle Merson’s goal came under serious threat.

Photo credit: Sam Conquest

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