Messrs Wakeling, Flanagan and Leaney will be keeping collective feet firmly on the ground as the adjusting process to DM Premier football continues - but there will surely have been a fair bit of back slapping after the final whistle blew at Park View Road - a venue Hastings supporters must enjoy going to as this is the 4th successive year we've won there (three previous wins were against Welling's tenants, Erith).

And Park View Road had certainly changed a fair bit down one side where a very smart new stand has been completed since our last visit. Apparently, that side of the ground will be Erith's and it certainly showed up the old rather ramshackle stand on the opposite side. The pitch, though, looked in great nick - as one would expect at this time of the year.

But - the game! Paul Jones was wearing 10 for Welling after a couple of games out injured. Jonah's yet to score his first goal for The Wings - indeed goal scoring is a big problem for them this season and after last night's game they'd only got a couple in six games. Having a fair size list of injuries hasn't helped them either - but credit is due big time to our lads who are basically an Eastern Division side getting adjusted to a big jump in playing standards - indeed it could be said the squad last night was weaker than what we finished with last April.

Welling started off reasonably well with King Dave's goal under early pressure but with no chances being created other than a fright when a well hit cross flew across the 6 yard box and a long range effort from the home left back that went wide. The U's defence was kept on it's toes as Welling knocked the ball around well - but once that initial spell had been seen through, then we started to see things happening at the other end - our end.

Duncan and Mylie both had long range shots that cleared the bar as the U's started to look as if they could create some openings. 25 minutes gone - Simmo down his right put in a good cross that the home defence failed to clear and Landry - doing well to shake off the attention of two defenders - turned and fired home from just outside the 6 yard box for 1-0. A minute later, Landry set up Yatesie in space who broke into the box and it was only the keeper's outstretched leg that prevented the lead being doubled.

Welling weren't to create many decent opportunities - but it took a good diving save from King Dave to keep a diagonally hit free kick just after Yatesie's effort. Their 7 - booked early on for a nasty foul on Macca - tried his luck on the turn but Dave held onto his shot reasonably comfortably. Stuart Playford was on hand on 38 minutes to clear the lines when Dave failed to hold onto the ball in a scramble and having weathered that spell of home pressure, the U's were on the attack again when a well placed lob from Simmo saw Ellis hold off a defender and lob the onrushing keeper but the ball went wide by a couple of feet.

Ellis wasn't to be denied on 43 minutes. The home keeper mispunched a corner - the ball found it's way to Ellis who put the chance away just inside the left post - a possible deflection might've helped - but at 2-0 with half time looming, United had struck a major blow. Yeah - 2-0 it might've been - but those who'd been at Park View Road for that DME game against Erith in March when a 2-0 half time lead had been wiped out in 10 minutes weren't counting any chickens just yet.

For individual efforts - Ellis's goal on 49 minutes that was to kill the game off - was really something special. He latched onto the ball just inside the centre circle in the U's half - turned and set off on a run that saw him outpace four defenders of who he had to actually beat three before slotting the ball home from just inside the area - a truly superb individual goal which sent the sizeable U's contingent into huge celebrations behind the goal. Ellis disappeared under a pile of team mates. Great goal.

U's might well have doubled their lead after that. Welling were to huff and puff but Dave and his outstanding defence coped well with whatever was chucked at them with the only real chance falling to Jonah but as he shaped to shoot from close in, King Dave spread himself to block Paul's effort which fell nicely for the 7 who hit it back well enough - but straight at Dave.

At the other end - a fine crossfield ball from Stuart Myall found Yatesie who's well struck shot was straight at the keeper - Macca fired in a long range shot that the keeper did well to hold onto and with the game going into the last minute or two - a volley across the face of the goal from Yatesie was only just wide. Big cheers all round when the final whistle went as the three points took United up to the dizzy heights of 7th with two more DMP games to be played on Wednesday night.

Even the most rabid United fan would have to agree that the three goal margin was never an accurate reflection of the way this game went against an Ilkeston side still winless after six attempts. They seem to have money - apparently Mark Walters has signed for them though he wasn't around for this game.

Whatever - there had been early doubts that the game would be played after torrential rain overnight that had left much of the pitch inundated. An army of volunteers turned out with forks and by the time 3.00 arrived, you'd have never known the match had been under threat.

Ilkeston were by far the better side for much of the opening 45. The U's just could not get going in that first half hour or so - indeed much of it saw them penned back defending hard against a side that hardly looked like a bottom two outfit still looking for a first win of the season. An early scare when King Dave couldn't deal with an inswinging corner which was booted off the line at his near post - that on 7 minutes.

We then saw the King at his very best a minute or so later - a superbly struck volley from outside the area which was bettered only by the quality of Dave's outstretched effort to keep it out. That really was a great sequence of play on both sides. Ilkeston looked good with set pieces and twice went close from free kicks just outside the box - one clattered off a post and the second saw Dave pull off another good save.

United's first threat in the Ilkeston box saw Landry completely miscue when one of Mylie's long throws was flicked on by Adam Flanagan. Ellis Remy - after his superlative goal at Welling - never really got out of first gear for this game - but he did show that ability he has of a spell of indifferent performance highlighted by something out of the blue - and his bicycle kick into the side netting on 25 minutes illustrated that facet of his game.

Having weathered that opening spell, United stunned the visitors with a goal as good as any we'll probably see all season - and a bit like Ellis's overhead kick - it came out of the blue. Good work down the left by Nick Hegley saw him lay off the ball to Stuart Myall who let rip from 30 yards with a shot that bulleted into the roof of the net. The keeper never got anywhere near it. Spectacular stuff - any other day an effort like that would've landed on Platform 1 at Ore station - not this time though. It just about seemed to sum up Ilkeston's afternoon to that time - all the play and a goal down.

It got better on 44 minutes - a long ball from Yatesie (who's attacking play has been exceptional so far) found Nick Hegley outpacing a static Ilkeston defence and as the keeper came out and seemed certain to claim the bouncing ball, up went Heggers to head over and in to give the U's a 2-0 interval lead they hardly deserved. Not that we were complaining.

That second goal had knocked the stuffing out of Ilkeston and they were to never really pose any threat in the U's area after halftime. The second half saw a substitute keeper in goal - according to some of their fans in that bar at half time, the keeper who'd started had already lost them a couple of games and it would appear he was subbed at halftime - something I've never seen! It got even more bizzare - the 2 and 8 were trying to get that ball off Macca by the corner flag and in the ensuing tussle, the 2 got laid out for three or four minutes by the flailing elbow of his own colleague!

57 minutes and an unreal save from keeper Mark II - Mylie hit one in from outside the box which looped and bounced just in front of the keeper who, directly under the crossbar, somehow managed to use his right foot to scoop Mylie's shot up and over the bar and out for a corner. Yeah - unreal.

Macca had been coming in for some rough treatment. The referee had booked him for a pretty innocuous trip in the first half which irritated everyone - but at least thsi time we saw yellows being shown at the Ilkeston 10 and 8 for challenges on Duncan. Seems to not matter a bit - wherever our Dunc goes, he's going to get a clattering and what he got in the Eastern he's going to get in the Premier.

Ilkeston's second half efforts on goal were limited to a couple of high and wide shots that didn't trouble Dave. Macca and Stuart Playford dealt well with what looked like a promising break down the middle and it was all done and dusted on 81 minutes when Macca's corner was headed straight back to him, he put another cross in and there was our Mercurial Frenchman (er - why are French people mercurial - what does it mean - I saw it written somewhere else so I put it here - but I don't know why.......) on hand to head home United's third from around the penalty spot.

How the wheel turns full circle in no time at all. Having been decidely flattered by a three goal winning margin at home to Ilkeston, United were hugely unfortunate to leave Crabble pointless after a battling display against an Athletic side that was two divisions higher a season ago. Bear in mind we have not strengthened our squad for the rigours of DM Premier football - that made last night's efforts all the more creditable.

No Ellis Remy who appears to be looking at a good month out of the side after picking up what is confirmed as a hamstring injury on Saturday - so Chris Honey stepped up from the bench. United started off well and were the dominant side for much of the first half. Unfortunately, Landry was to have one of those nights where he was distinctly below par - some mutterings amongst the sizeable United contingent that it was because he didn't have Ellis along side him - but I have my doubts about that theory. He was to have an off night - simple as that.

Nice combination down the U's right between Steve Yates and Nick Hegley released Yatesie into the Dover box but a sliding tackle prevented that one going any further. Much the same saw Heggers into the area but the move finished with a shot well wide. Landry did all the hard work on 9 minutes when he beat a couple of defenders - but his lobbed effort on goal was a weak one.

Up till 15 minutes, King Dave had had very little to do in goal apart from keeping an eye on one Nick Dent who is back at Crabble once again. A good turn by Dent saw a rising effort clear angle of post and bar and on 19 minutes we breathed a sigh of relief when a cross into the U's box saw the resultant header from the Dover 8 go straight into Dave's big mitts.

The best opportunity fell to Landry on 24 minutes when he was released by a good ball from Macca - but as he bore down on goal, Paul Hyde was to deny him in the one on one with a good blocking save as the ball was deflected out for a corner. Other chances of a lesser nature fell to Macca who's 25 yarder was over the bar and Burtie might've done better with a header from a Mylie long throw that had been flicked on while at the other end, the Dover 8 might also have done better with a header that went wide.

It was to all happen in the last half hour. A good move down the Dover right saw a ball into the U's area and as Yatesie and Dave converged, there was Dent going down - penalty! The decision was hotly disputed by Flanners and Stuart Playford to the extent that Flanners was booked - but it has to be said that Yatesie and Dave who were closest to the incident didn't appear to dispute it even though Yatesie might not have seen anything as he seemed to be in front of Dent at the time. Whatever - Dave so nearly kept out the spot kick and United had conceded for the first time in 540 minutes.

The goal seemed to deflate the U's and for the next 15 minutes they lost their pattern which made it easy for Dover to defend their slender lead. But a big shout for a penalty just a couple of minutes after going behind was turned down - looking repeatedly at the video afterwards - it did appear to be a good shout but play on was the decision. Heggers was released down the left by a long kick from Dave and was so unlucky to see his shot rebound off the bar and out on 77 minutes.

By now, Graham Webb and Tommy O had come on for Macca and Stuart Playford. Webbie's pace was to cause problems and he so nearly got away when a ball over the top caught the Dover defence napping. He went down on the edge of the area and the mood of the United support got just another tad evil when he ended up being booked for diving after the referee spoke to his assistant. Once again - looking at the video time and time again was inconclusive - the angle was the worst possible to see what had happened. If Graham did dive - then he deserved the yellow card.

Good opportunities were denied by good defending. Simmo wanted just too long as he looked set to break into the box and a last ditch tackle was to deny him a shot while Stuart Myall saw one of his specials beaten away by a brave block that brought a shout for handball but that would've been a harsh decision had it been awarded.

89 minutes - Webbie released down the left and into the area where his well placed curling effort was equally well palmed away by an outstretched Hyde. We thought that one was a certain goal - great sequence of play but no reward. From the resulting corner - the ball was to end up in the Dover net but the cheers were strangled as Landry received a yellow card for his volley ball tactics.

Full time was greeted by relief amongst the home defenders who must've known they'd been in a game. This Dover side isn't a patch on Kinnear's 92/93 squad that won the old Beazer Premier - yet it's considered to be amongst the favourites to go up - and our lads gave them a bloody good run for their money. United's fine run is at an end and George, Mark and Mike will now be working on getting things up and running again for the trip to Moor Green on Saturday. Well played boys - bad luck.

Saturday saw United off to the outskirts of Birmingham to renew aquaintances at Moorlands Park after a gap of eight years - Christ where does time go! Tom (ma boy) and I went on the coach for a change - cheaper than the car, probably better than the train service which is wrecked at weekends by engineering work and even if it did take longer than the car, it didn't matter cos I'd be able to do my video editing etc etc on the coach on the way home instead of waiting till I got home if I'd driven. So - off we set at 9.30.

Interesting place - Moorlands Park. They turned the pitch some years ago - 90 degrees if my geometry is right. I think it was to do with improvements they wanted to make - whatever, they ended up with the place looking rather lopsided - nothing down the sides, reasonably modern cover at one end and all the stadium infrastructure at the other end instead of down one side . They also have moaning neighbours and have collapsible floodlights so as to not intrude on the poor things - bit like the Elphinstone Road Complaining Circle.

As to the side George put out - not surprisingly no sign of Ellis who didn't even travel having been told a long coach haul would do his dodgy hamstring no good. So - as we were at Crabble with Monster partnering Landry up front. Moor Green were bottom of the division having been beaten 0-2 at Ilkeston the previous Tuesday - not that that could mean United could take it easy - after all they had inflicted a first defeat of the season on Tiverton the weekend just gone. Stuart Playford and his dodgy knee were in from the start as well.

Moor Green - like Ilkeston a week ago - didn't look a bad side and, quite honestly, were to give our defence more of an examination than Dover did last Monday - but didn't actually create much in the way of goal scoring chances - indeed the two best opportunities were to fall to United in what was a reasonably high speed but drab game. United were on the back foot initially and in that spell, King Dave had to be at his best to keep out a well struck effort across the face of his goal - a very good save.

Play was to swing from the edge of one box to another after the U's had weathered that opening spell. Landry - another quiet game (maybe it IS those red boots) - blazed wide after Chris Honey had tried to find a way through a penalty box scramble just as half time loomed. That was about the only time United threatened the home goal in the first half. The best move saw Landry find Nick Hegley with a sublime cross pitch pass from half way which Nick picked up in line with the edge of the Moor Green area - but the move then broke down.

The home support were not overly pleased with the performance in the middle by referee Burton. From a U's point of view it was good to see a referee who wasn't card happy as so many are - but some of the challenges were robust shall we say and had the boot been on the other foot we'd have been as brassed off as the Moor Green lot were. Adam Flanagan was distinctly fortunate not to be sent off for a challenge that left a Moor Green player flattened early in the second half. Just a yellow card resulted - and that resulted in more abuse directed at Mr Burton. We breathed a sigh of relief!

The second half was to be a little better as United came out in a far more positive frame of mind after having been out muscled in the opening 45. Simmo was a couple of inches too short to get a decent header on a Yatesie cross on 50 minutes and the ball skimmed off his head. Moor Green's 9 then sliced his lot's best chance of the game well wide after a good break down the right and on the hour, a scramble at the foot of Dave's post saw the ball booted out for a corner.

United then took charge for the first time. Simmo found Stuart Myall in the 6 yard box but the ball hung up too long and Mylie put a good chance well over the bar. United went as close as they ever could on 67 minutes when Mylie headed a flicked on corner back into the 6 yard box where Chris powered a header against the crossbar with the keeper beaten. Three minutes later, Landry hit a long range effort straight at the keeper who nearly presented the U's with a late goodie when he hashed a clearance but Simmo from way out couldn't take advantage of the keeper's absence from his goal and his effort from way out went wide.

0-0 it finished and that was a fair reflection of a game that the home side dominated for longish spells - but United could so easily have snatched it in that last 20 odd minutes.

Having started off the new season with four games out suspended plus missing the last couple of games of 01/02 for the same reason, it has probably come as little surprise to see Duncan McArthur collecting yet more yellow cards as if they're fashion accessories in the six games he's played this season. Having been booked in the first half for one of those Macca challenges that always seems to result in a card - he duly lost it in the 73rd minute as he went down in a flail of arms and legs with the City 9 and got up to be shown off the pitch by referee Crouch who had a poor game and managed to piss off just about everyone present. Not that Duncan's red card came as any surprise - we've all seen it before and we're all sick of seeing it again. Crouch got that one right and united were left a man short with 17 minutes left of a game that City had dominated with far better football.

Having said City were the better side by far - it was United who were to create by far the better chances and might even have pinched an undeserved win late in the game. Actually both sides were to go close as the game's final stages saw some decent football from both sides.

One of Mylie's long throws was to cause problems as early as the opening minute before being hoofed out for a corner. Simmo was hugely unlucky six minutes later when a well hit shot from the edge of the box beat the keeper, cannoned off the inside of an upright and across the face of the goal for a goal kick. But Chelmsford were playing decent stuff - utilising the width of the pitch far better than United. And a City corner was headed across the U's goal mouth with nobody on hand to finish off.

United were unlucky again on 17 minuted when Flanners - looking for his first goal of the season headed a McArthur free kick against the crossbar. A minute later Flanners saw another good header well tipped over by the keeper for another corner. King Dave wasn't inactive at the other end and did well to cut out a dipping cross. City took the lead on 24 minutes - good break into the box and well put away by the 9.

Not that the lead lasted long. Flanners got that elusive first goal when he went up for a corner and in it went - off his shoulder by the look of it. Not that we cared - United might not have been playing particularly well but they'd battled back into the game.

The second half saw much the same pattern as City continued to look the better side. The most lively part of the game came after United went down to 10 men. Ellis Remy had come on for the ineffectual Monster who has just not got up and running yet this season. And it was a speculative overhead free kick from Ellis that should have seen United awarded a penalty on 74 minutes as the ball appeared to hit a City arm - a very valid penalty claim which Crouch waved away and awarded a corner instead.

Ellis wasn't to last more than 10 minutes or so before that hamstring went again and he was to end up being piggy backed off by Mike Flanagan. Graham Webb - always lively and many think due a start instead of the last 15 minutes - replaced Ellis and linked up well with Yatesie who's shot wasn't held by the keeper but nobody was on hand to put away the rebound. Plenty going on at the other end where my Man of the Match - Dave King - came to the rescue twice. Stuart Playford slipped up and let the City 6 in on goal but the rising shot was well held by Dave who was at his best again to get down to a sharp cross from his left. A post came to United's rescue late on when a corner flew across the face of the goal, onto the post and out for another corner thanks to Mylie's intervention.

Webbie had a golden chance to win the game in the 88th minute but with just the keeper to beat he saw his shot go wide. So it finished 1-1 and while City were the better side, United created the better chances. I suspect both sides were happy with a point - a point that sees United up a place to 9th.

Yeah - deja vu. Tamworth did much the same to us four seasons ago when they won that game with an 85th minute decider - this time they did the same just a minute earlier and that, a minute after Graham Webb had snatched at a shot when well placed and seen his effort sail over the crossbar.

This was an interesting game, one of those games that you had to keep an eye on, not particularly high on skill levels or outstanding performances - but an absorbing one all the same.

U's started off with Landry Zahana-Oni up front with Chris Honey who was to put in a rather more promising performance after largely looking out of his depth. Ellis Remy is surely out for several weeks after Hamstring Horror Part 2 on Tuesday night but a step in the right direction was seeing Paul Ruddy on the bench - a Rudds who has yet to start a game this season.

Landry it was who gave U's a perfect start when he thundered home a header from a Macca corner in the second minute. King Dave then had to get down sharpish at the base of his right post to keep out an effort from the Tamworth 10 a matter of a minute later. All square on 13 minutes when a well placed free kick from Mark Cooper flew past Dave into the top right corner - a perfectly placed free kick in fact.

But the U's reacted positively and having been pegged back might've been ahead again on 14 minutes when Landry (his best game of the season) displayed one of those turns only he can do and his really well hit effort from way out brought out a fine tip over save from Darren Acton in the Tamworth goal. That effort by Landry was reminiscent of that goal he got against Lancing in the Sussex Inferior Cup last season. And from the resulting corner - Macca hit it to Simmo on the edge of the box who volleyed it first time a foot over the bar. What goals those two efforts could so easily have produced. Great football.

And those two moments plus a bit of French magic in the second half were probably the outstanding parts of the game. There wasn't a great deal more worth mentioning about the first half other than another well struck long ranger from Simmo that Acton pulled out of the air.

Tony Burt didn't come out for the second half for reasons unknown. Tommy O took his place in a defence that was found wanting almost immediately when a long throw was flicked on and an unmarked Steve Walsh (not so long ago of Leicester City) had time to volley past Dave from close in. But the Tamworth celebrations had hardly died down when a long throw at their end was headed across the goal by Flanners for the outstretched boot of Macca to get just enough on the ball to divert it oh so slowly past the flailing Acton.

United played some reasonable football for the next quarter of an hour or so and the highlight was Landry's trickery on the byeline when he had no right to get past the Tamworth 4 let alone get a cross in that was hacked clear. Yatesie could've done better with an effort from the edge of the box but the shot lacked just about everything needed to trouble Acton. At the other end, Dave did well to hang onto a rising effort from the Tamworth 12.

10 minutes to go - Chris Honey was replaced by Graham Webb and on 83 minutes, Webbie was clear just inside the area and over the bar his effort went. His reaction clearly showed he should've done better - and we were all left to rue that miss as Tamworth broke away, Heggers was outmuscled by Cooper who slotted the deciding goal past the onrushing Dave King.

Tamworth might've increased their lead when the 12 brought out a fine diving stop from Dave at the foot of a post while Acton was to deny Webbie with a block that he couldn't hold onto but Walsh was on hand to clear the Tamworth lines. A minute or so later the final whistle went and somewhat worryingly, we are now winless in four games.

Don't let a convincing looking scoreline deceive you - United might well be in the Monday draw for the 3rd Qualifying Round of the FA Cup and £7500 better off, but didn't they make hard work of it against a very limited Selsey who currently languish in the nether regions of the Bumpkinship Sussex County League. Give Selsey credit they worked bloody hard and kept things going after what must have been an unsettling stop in play on the half hour or thereabouts as their 14 who'd only been on a matter of minutes was stretchered off after a collision with Flanners. The lad was taken off to The Conquest in an ambulance at half time with rumoured ligament damage AND a broken leg - shades of Chichester's equally unfortunate Shane Mott last season.

United had never got any pattern going up to that unfortunate incident. They seemed to have been dragged down to the level of a struggling County League side themselves and were not even at half power for that first half - indeed you could say that of the first hour of a truly turgid game.

The highlight of the first period was Duncan McArthur's 20 yard effort that crashed back off the crossbar while Selsey who rarely got in the U's box threatened themselves when their 9 was allowed space to fire in a shot that wasn't far wide of Dave's left hand post. He had it covered - but the effort in itself was enough to make U's supporters start thinking that The Pilot Field might just be the scene of one of those upsets the FA Cup is so well known for.

Other goal mouth action - well, not a lot actually - saw Danny Simmonds head a Stuart Myall cross just wide and Flanners got on the end of a Macca corner and his effort was only just wide as well. Other than that - the less said of an ideas devoid first 45 the better.

United did look a little better at the start of the second half and a Yatesie cross flew across the goal with nobody on hand to tuck it away. But that initial sign things might pick up was just that - a sign - and the game soon dropped back to that turgidity of the first half. It was one of those games that needed a boost* and United were much better from around the 55 minute mark and went ahead to the relief of most of the 400 gate when the Selsey keeper failed to gather a Nick Hegley corner and Flanners rifled home the opening goal.

It got better two minutes later when Landry Zahana-Oni's cross was headed in by Stuart Playford from inside the 6 yard box and from that point United were comfortably in charge as those thoughts of an upset were banished at last. Having said that - Dave had his first save to make on 71 minutes but gathered a low shot comfortably. Webbie replaced Chris Honey who'd had another ineffectual afternoon and must be wondering when things are going to look up.

As always - it got more lively with Graham buzzing around and he very nearly made the keeper look a right pudding when a back pass was dawdled over and Webbie was desperately close to robbing the flailing keeper of the ball but David Leaver just managed to get it back as Webbie ended up upside down on the deck. Leaver was brought into action again by Webbie who's shot was well smothered.

The game was wrapped up on 85 minutes when Flanners made it 3-0 as the Selsey defence failed to clear a corner and Adam rose to power home his second. The goal of the afternoon came shortly afterwards when the Selsey 2 picked up a loose ball and sent in a great effort over Dave and into the top left corner from way out. Great goal and no less than they deserved.

Having seen the best goal - we then heard the biggest cheer when Webbie was sent clear by Mylie's pass out of defence - he rounded the keeper and walked the ball into the net to open his account for the season. 4-1 it finished - United hugely flattered by a three goal winning margin but who was arguing.

* Oh yeah - Macca got sent off and the U's only started to do anything after going down to 10 men. That's the boost I was talking about.