Fightback in vain as Hastings lose out
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The U's lost 3-2 away to Greenwich Borough and finished the Ryman Football League Division One South match with 10 men.
United were two-down inside four minutes and although they were back on terms by the hour mark, it was in-form Greenwich who clinched their seventh successive victory in all competitions.
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Hide AdThe visitors got off to a nightmare start, falling behind to Daniel Young's close range finish from a second minute corner and further adrift to a similar goal scored by Robert Denness two minutes later.
Barry Cogan was denied by a magnificent save from the Greenwich goalkeeper as United tried to respond, but they remained two-down at half time.
United did hit back, however, with two goals in the first 15 minutes of the second period. Ollie Rowe pulled one back in the 51st minute with a header from a corner and Cogan's deflected shot squared things up nine minutes later.
The U's were only level for three minutes, however, because Jake Britnell's put Greenwich back in front at the third attempt after a tremendous double save by away goalkeeper Lenny Pidgeley.
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Hide AdUnited launched attack after attack in a bid to get something out of the contest, but it wasn't to be and Cogan was sent-off for a second booking during the closing stages.
The U's drop to 12th in the table as a result and are already 10 points below their opponents, albeit with two games in hand.
United: Pidgeley; Judd, Rowe, Davies, Butler (Watt); Stannard (Harris), Johnson, Cogan, Bodkin; Collin, Akrofi (Adeboyejo).
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