Wilson: We need to hit straight back

United’s manager was ‘bitterly disappointed’ with successive 2-0 away defeats against Herne Bay and Worthing over the past week, and wants a swift improvement.

The U’s are at home to third-placed Ramsgate in Ryman Football League Division One South today (Saturday) and away to second-bottom Chipstead on Tuesday.

Wilson said: “It’s not been a good week. We need to react to that next week and get ourselves back on track straight away. We’re entering into a really critical time of the season and I feel we need to get some results in the next five or six league games.”

United are in 15th place having played between four and eight matches fewer than any other team in the division. They’re 11 points behind Carshalton Athletic - who occupy the final play-off spot of fifth - with seven games in hand.

“There’s still 84 points to play for, and we need to win a high percentage of the games to stay with the pack and catch up,” continued Wilson.

United are now free to focus solely on the league after their involvement in the various cup competitions came to an end at Worthing on Tuesday night with a performance which Wilson said was ‘not acceptable’.

“It’s disappointing to be out of the cups,” the manager went on. “The league is all we’ve got left now and we can give 100% attention to it. We’ve got to improve on the last performances.

“Compared to the last league game at Worthing (which United won 3-1 in October), the performance was worlds apart and the opposition were better than us.

“I thought that break (United didn’t play for 11 days prior to last weekend) would do us good, but at the moment I’m being proved wrong. We need to get out of this stuttering run and I want six points from the next two games - that’s the target.”

For the first time in quite a while, United should be just about at full strength today. Sam Adams is expected to recover from illness and Wilson must decide whether to include the fit-again Zac Attwood in the starting line-up after being impressed with his display as a substitute against Worthing.

TODAY’S FOOTBALL FIXTURES

(Kick-off 3pm unless stated)

Ryman League, Division 1 South: Hastings Utd v Ramsgate.

Macron Store Southern Combination League, Division 1: Saltdean Utd v Little Common.

Division 2 (2): Ferring v Westfield.

Reserve Section (East) (2): Westfield v Steyning Town.

Sussex Bluefin Junior Cup, 3rd round (1.30): Sidley Utd P AFC Hastings P (AFC Hastings unable to raise a side).

Macron East Sussex League (2), Premier Division: Battle Baptists v Peche Hill Select; Hawkhurst Utd v Hollington Utd; Robertsbridge Utd v Sedlescombe Rangers; Rock-a-Nore v Mountfield Utd; St Leonards Social v Ore Athletic.

Division 1: Crowhurst v Wadhurst Utd; Eastbourne Rangers v The JC Tackleway; Old Hastonians v Ticehurst.

Division 2: Bexhill AAC P Herstmonceux P; Eastbourne Athletic v Northiam 75; Icklesham Casuals v Hastings Rangers; Little Common III v Peasmarsh Utd; Peche Hill Select II v Catsfield.

Division 3: Bexhill Utd II v St Leonards Social II; Herstmonceux II P West Hill Utd P; Orington v Mayfield; Sedlescombe Rangers II v Burwash; Westfield III v Pebsham Sibex.

Division 4: Conquest Utd v Bexhill AAC II; Grasshoppers Old Boys v Victoria Baptists; Punnetts Town v Hailsham Athletico; The JC Tackleway II P Bexhill Rovers P; Wittersham II P Hawkhurst Utd II P.

Division 5: FC Westridge v Icklesham Casuals II; Magham Down v Hampden Park Utd; Sandhurst v Battle Baptists III; Sedlescombe Rangers III v Parkfield; St Leonards v Robertsbridge Utd II.

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