Clean sheet, cup win, new faces, no ban: it’s a positive week for Hastings United

United ground out a 0-0 draw on Saturday at Cray Wanderers – where they slipped to a poor 3-0 FA Cup defeat only three weeks earlier.

Then in midweek they put six past Shoreham to progress to the third round of the Sussex Senior Cup.

Goalscorers included new duo Callum Barlow – who got two – and Finn O’Mara, while Louis Rogers has been cleared to carry on playing after the red card he was harshly shown in the loss to Cheshunt was overturned on appeal.

It’s all positive and sets up Bloor’s side for what could be a tricky FA Trophy first round test at Southern League Division 1 Central side Hadley tomorrow.

That’s followed by a ten-day break before their next game but Bloor is hoping to stage a friendly next week to look at a few trialists.

Experienced defender O’Mara has returned to the Pilot Field for a second spell – the first coming in their Isthmian south east title-winning side – while centre-forward Barlow, formerly at Eastbourne United, joins after leaving Bognor.

Bloor said: “I was delighted by our efforts at Cray Wanderers. We set up to be hard to beat and we were.

"It was nice to beat Shoreham 6-1 in the senior cup. It was comfortable.

"I love the competition. I’ve been to the final two or three times as a manager but never won it, and I’m sure our fans would love to get to the final again.”

The manager is pleased with his two latest additions.

He said: “It’s no secret I’ve been looking for an experienced centre-back for a while and Finn is that man. He will bring experience on the pitch and help our young squad as we push forward.

"Callum is a local lad who knows what it means to represent Hastings United; he will give us another dimension in attack."

Barlow is cup-tied for tomorrow’s Hadley trip and another forward, Billy Vigar, is out for three to four weeks with an injury picked up in a heavy challenge at Cray. Adam Lovatt is banned after five bookings.