Sunday 3rd September 2023
Erith & Belvedere vs Hastings United
Emirates FA Cup First Qualifying Round
Kick-off 3.00pm
Acclaim Handling Community Stadium, Park View Road, Welling, DA16 1SY

The Deres now begin a run of four cup games with a huge Emirates FA Cup tie at home to Hastings United.

As well as a nice chunk of FA prize money the opportunity to play a side from the Vanarama National League South side awaits the winner in the next round.

Here is everything you need to know ahead of Sunday's game.

Admission Prices
£10 - Adults
£7 - Concessions
£3 - Under 16's
£2 - Printed Programme

Can pay by cash or card on the turnstiles.

Match Officials
Referee: Joredon Gibson
Assistant Referees: Leiws Moore & Richard Airey

The Opposition
Club Name: Hastings United
Ground: Elphinstone Road, Hastings, East Sussex, TN34 2AX
Distance from Park View Road (Round Trip): 113 miles
Colours: Claret
Manager: Paul Barnes
Last Season: 8th (Isthmian Prem)

History
The club was founded in 1893 as Rock-a-Nore and played their home games on the East Hill in Hastings Old Town. In 1904 they joined the East Sussex Football League and played at the newly laid out 'Sports Ground' for one season, sharing with St Leonards United, before returning to the East Hill the following season. They won the East Sussex League in the 1907-08 season.

After the First World War, Rock-a-Nore became founder members of the Sussex County League and moved to the Pilot Field in 1920, after one season in the league they changed name to Hastings & St Leonards FC, to reflect becoming the most prominent team in the town. They spent seven seasons in the Sussex County League, finishing runners on two occasions before leaving to join the Southern Amateur League in 1927. The team would win Division Two in their first season and were promoted into Division One for the 1928-19 season, where they remained until the outbreak of World War Two. During the 1930s the club enjoyed a highly successful spell, winning the league in 1935,1936, 1937 and 1939 and the Sussex Senior Cup in 1936 and 1938.

After the Second World War, Hastings joined the Corinthian League and played two seasons in the league. However, ahead of the 1948-49 season, the club lost their home ground at the Pilot Field to newly formed professional team Hastings United and had to leave the Corinthian League having only played one league game. Hastings became founder members of Division Two of the Sussex County League in 1952 and would go on to spend nearly thirty years in the league with little success. In 1976, the club changed name to Hastings Town - they won Division Two in 1979-80, winning promotion to Division One where they played until 1985.

Hastings Town applied for membership to the Southern League Premier Division following the folding of Hastings United, but were admitted to the Southern Division. After several frustrating seasons of top-half finishes. Peter Sillett took charge of the club and built up a side that eventually won promotion, winning the league in 1991-92. The 1990s saw the club enjoy more success winning the Southern League Cup in 1995, and the Sussex Senior Cup in 1996 and 1998,

Local lottery winner Mark Gardiner, previously involved at local rivals St Leonards Stamcroft, became involved ahead of the 1997-98 season but even with a healthy budget available, the club found themselves in the bottom half of the table.
Despite a fifth-place finish in the 1998-99 season, the second highest finish in the football league pyramid for the club, there was trouble off the pitch. With Mark Gardiner no longer involved, the club was in administration – they were eventually allowed back into the Southern League, but into the Eastern Division. They won the league again in 2001-02.

Hastings Town changed name to Hastings United ahead of the 2002-03 season, taking on the identity of the club formed in 1948. The club enjoyed a decent start to the season and reached the first round of the 2002–03 FA Cup; however the club saw a dip in form and were relegated back to the Eastern Division.
They joined the Isthmian League for the 2004-05 season, with Welsh international Neville Southall briefly as manager, the first of a succession of short-lived bosses. Despite this they went up via the playoffs in 2007.

2012-13 saw a remarkable run in the FA Cup. Hastings beat Bishops Stortford in the first round, to set up a tie against Harrogate Town in the second round. The tie at Harrogate ended 1-1, setting up a replay at the Pilot Field which televised live by ESPN Sports and witnessed in front of a sell-out crowd. Hastings won the game on penalties and set up an away tie against Middlesbrough in the third round, where the club were knocked out after losing 4–1 in the biggest match in the club's history. Despite the remarkable cup run, the club's league form was poor and the club were eventually relegated after a three-and-a-half month winless streak.

In April 2015 Dave Walters stepped down as club chairman, selling his majority shares to Dave Ormerod. In 2016-17 Darren Hare signed a two-year deal to become manager from 2016-17 with Steven Watt as his assistant. Players with Football League experience such as Lenny Pidgeley, Matt Bodkin and Frannie Collin, who scored a record equalling 32 goals, joined the club. After a fifth-place finish in the league, the club lost in the play-off semi-finals to Dorking Wanderers and Hare departed as manager shortly after.

Former Brighton & Hove Albion player Adam Hinshelwood took over as manager, also signing a two-year deal, who alongside his assistant Chris Agutter, would work full-time at the club, also overseeing the academy setup. Hinshelwood left his role in September 2017 and was taken over by Agutter.

In 2019, club owners Daren Burney and Peter Sherlock appointed music agent Billy Wood as chief executive officer with David Nessling, Tony Cosens and David Ormerod departing the club by resignation. With the club under a new wave of momentum attendances rose to consistent levels not witnessed in decades with Chris Agutter's team closing in on the Isthmian South East League championship before COVID-19 sent the league into lockdown and eventually the league was terminated, null and voiding 2019/20. The 2021–22 season saw Hastings claim the league title and secure promotion to the Isthmian League Premier Division.

Head to Head
Played: 33
Deres: 5
Draws: 13
Hastings: 15
Dears Goals: 45
Hastings Goals: 61

Last Competitive Meeting
21/10/2003- Southern League
Deres 1
Hastings United 1

Elsewhere in the League
All Kick Offs are 3pm unless stated

Saturday
Pitching In Isthmian South Central Division
Corinthian-Casuals v Met Police
South Park (Reigate) v Raynes Park Vale
Sutton Common Rovers v Guernsey
Thatcham Town v Badshot Lea

Emirates FA Cup First Qualifying Round
Ascot United v Westfield
Bedford Town v Walthamstow
Berkhamsted v Beckenham Town
Billericay Town v Stowmarket Town
Binfield v Northwood
Brightlingsea Regent v Sawbridgeworth Town
Burgess Hill Town v Bognor Regis Town
Canvey Island v Lowestoft Town
Chatham Town v Ramsgate
Concord Rangers v Wroxham
Cray Wanderers v Newhaven
Dulwich Hamlet v Haringey Borough
Enfield Town v Potters Bar Town
Faversham Town v Lewes
Hartley Wintney v Folkestone Invicta
Hashtag United v Brentwood Town
Hayes & Yeading United v Chertsey Town
Hendon v Margate
Heybridge Swifts v Gorleston
Hornchurch v Fakenham Town
Horndean v Bideford
Hythe Town v Harnworth Villa
Kirkey & Pakefield v Witham Town
Lancing v Carshalton Athletic
Leatherhead v Horsham
Marlow v AFC Croydon Athletic
Redhill v Herne Bay
Royston Town v Cheshunt
Sevenoaks Town v Whitehawk
Sheppey United v Kennington
Southall v Beaconsfield Town
Whitstable Town v Wingate & Finchley
Woodford Town v Felixstowe & Walton United

Sunday
Emirates FA Cup First Qualifying Round
Biggleswade v Maldon & Tiptree
Kingstonian v Lydd Town
Uxbridge v Cray Valley PM