Hastings United FC boss: That was worst since I began - but we won!

They needed a late Tom Chalmers winner to clinch a 2-1 victory at the end of a scrappy game in which the Isthmian south east leaders were well below their best.

Craig Stone’s 14th minute opener was cancelled out nine minutes later – and they played the last 36 minutes with ten men after winger Andrew Sesay was sent off for two yellow cards.

The three points keep Elphick’s team six clear at the top of the table ahead of tomorrow’s home tussle with Phoenix Sports which the manager warns will be harder than the league table – in which the visitors are one off the bottom – suggests.

Meanwhile Elphick revealed Sesay had left the club to sign for Isthmian premier outfit Merstham.

Talking about the last-gasp win in Kent, Elphick said: “It wasn’t pretty – in fact it was probably the worst we’ve played since I came into the job.

“There was a howling wind and the pitch wasn’t great. When you add the fact we were down to ten men, it wouldn’t have been a disaster had it stayed 1-1.

“But to win like that shows the togetherness in the squad. There’s a lot of fight there – it’s a great group of men in that dressing room.”

Elphick said he did not like Sesay’s reaction to being sent off – he threw his shirt to the ground and stormed to the dressing room. The boss said he was already thinking about the player’s future at the club when Merstham came in for him, and he was allowed to leave.

“It doesn’t leave us short, but the one thing we may look to do in the next few weeks is add a bit of pace up front. That’s something Andrew gave us and we don’t want to leave ourselves short,” he said.

Elphick is wary of the threat posed by Phoenix, who despite being 19th have won three of their past six and are under new management.

“They play five at the back and are hard to break down. We can’t go in thinking it will be a light day at the office,” he added.

Ollie Black has suffered another injury setback – a knee problem needs assessment – while Ben Pope is not yet back in full training.

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