Hastings United go from no games in two weeks to eight in a month

For recent postponements mean the Us now have eight games to play in March as they catch up with fixtures lost to the weather.

And it’s a month boss Chris Agutter says will go a long way to deciding the outcome of the season.

March brings seven Isthmian premier matches – beginning with a trip to fellow play-off hopefuls Wingate & Finchley tomorrow – plus a Sussen Senior Cup semi-final against Littlehampton at Lancing.

Agutter says a second straight blank Saturday – caused when leaders Hornchurch’s Pilot Field visit was rained off – was frustrating but it was no good moping about it.

"We were pretty much there getting the game on, then the heavens opened again. We got some work into the lads but it does break up your rhythm when you lose two games in a row,” said the manager.

"But we must look at it as an opportunity. We’ve developed a few new ideas and one or two players, like Tommie Fagg and Sam Okoye, who were coming back from injury, are now that much fitter.

"We now have eight games in March, which will go a long way to deciding the outcome of our season.

"We’ve still to play Wingate, Chatham, Billericay – all teams who are around us in the league. And despite the fact we haven’t played for a couple of weeks we’re still right in there, in a good position.”

Hastings are seventh and with at least one game in hand over each of the four teams in the play-off places (second to fifth). "I always prefer points on the board over games in hand but if we can get one or two good results, we can see where we are.”

United are still wary over playing Tom Chalmers amid doubts over his knee injury butthey have a pretty full squad to select from at Wingate.

Meanwhile Agutter has spoken of his delight that friend and ex-Hastings manager Adam Hinshelwood has landed a job as boss of National League premier side York City. Another ex-Pilot Field boss, Gary Elphick, has moved with him.

“I’m willing them to do well – it’s brilliant for them,” Agutter said.