Top four are next four on Hastings United’s radar – Agutter relishing tough tests

And after a blank weekend caused by their planned visit to Potters Bar being rained off, manager Chris Agutter is relishing the run of tough tests for his play-off-chasing side.

United have lost their past two league games but are still in the thick of the play-off race, and have injured duo Tommie Fagg and Sam Okoye back for the upcoming tests, plus Sam Gale back on loan from Gillingham.

Leaders Hornchurch visit The Pilot Field on Saturday before United visit Wingate on March 2 then host Billericay on March 9 and Chatham on March 16.

Their Sussex Senior Cup semi-final against Littlehampton Town at Lancing is on March 12.

Agutter said it was a shame to lose last weekend’s game but they trained quite intensively to keep the players’ sharpness levels up ahead of this key run of matches.

"We made sure we covered the same sort of distances as we would have done had we played, and we’ll be ready for Saturday,” he told us.

"We always said this run of games would give us a good idea of where we’re at – it’s an opportunity to test ourselves against the best teams in the division.

"My brief coming in was to keep us up and we’ve made very good progress since then.

"We fancy ourselves to compete with anyone. Consistency is the big thing for us – our challenge is to have more good days than off-days.”

Agutter said they’d studied Hornchurch – who are nine points clear and have lost only once – and he added: “They do the basics very well and about 90 per cent of their players are playing below the level they could be at.

"I’ve watched National South games recently and if Hornchurch were in that division, they’d be up around the play-offs.

"But for us, the next two months are an opportunity. We’ve been together for 24 games and if we replicate the form we have shown, we can be in the play-offs.”

United are monitoring Tom Chalmers’ knee but he may not play again this season. And centre-back Dan Hull is being checked for a potential heart issue before he can play.