Always good to start a new season with a win and particularly so after all the upheavals following last season's dismal relegation back to the DM Eastern Division. United have lost 11 players since that campaign ended with a depressing home defeat at the hands of runners up, Stafford Rangers, who somewhat ironically, were opening their new campaign on the Sussex coast - 18 miles away at Eastbourne Borough where from all accounts, Borough were probably happy with a 1-1 draw.

I listened to Steve Lovell being interviewed after the game by Simon Carey for the Observer and then Roger Sinden for Southern Counties Radio and it was clear immediately that Lovers wasn't getting carried away with those three points. No two things about it - Corby were nothing special but did enough to make United supporters realise that decent Eastern Division sides like Kings Lynn and Salisbury will give our defence a lot more to worry about this season.

Corby didn't get to The Pilot Field till 2.40 - the delights of the M25 followed by that appalling last 25 miles of the A21 were not surprisingly the reasons for their late arrival according to one of the back room guys on their coach. The game kicked off five minutes late after both sides and spectators observed a one minute silence in honour of Mike Cole who died in May.

Weather conditions were fine - what it would've been like trying to watch football in 35 degrees just doesn't bear thinking about......... And United made the best of starts when Duncan McArthur fired home a long range effort after 8 minutes. Corby keeper, Richard Lavin, was deceived by a bad bounce on what is a horrendous playing surface as the ball appeared to skid over his outstretched attempt to save Macca's well hit shot - not that United supporters were complaining. Corby defenders certainly were - and with good reason. The pitch is appalling - more on that later.

The game was to be nothing special. You don't expect a lot more from a season opener. United looked pretty good going forward but looked shaky on occasions when defending with Peter Sayer at right back caught out of position several times. Keiren Startup looked ok next to the experienced Burtie who was outstanding throughout - twice in particular with a first half interception and a second half clearance when 18 year old Matt Brown (otherwise very good with two fine, full stretch saves the highlights) failed to hold a free kick. Most of what Corby created came down the United right - and Lovers's post game comments made it clear he knows that needs to be worked on.

United doubled their lead on 18 minutes. Ryan Peters - the pick of the new faces - was fouled on the edge of the box and a quickly taken free kick found Peter Taylor on the edge of the 6 yard box where he picked his spot. That made up for Taylor being denied by a good block earlier by Lavin. United's other decent foray saw a Macca cross volleyed high and wide by Ricky Speller. At the other end - Matt Brown pulled of the first of those two good saves when he flung himself to his right to catch a well hit effort from the Corby 7. And Burtie's well timed interception was equally important as Corby tried to get back into the game after their early set backs.

It could've been 3-0 on 47 minutes but Chris Honey - who had a decent game - was kept out by Lavin's well timed block. But two minutes later it was 3-0 as a good combo set up Ryan Peters who curled a great effort around Lavin. Great move - great goal. Corby pressed hard to get back into it and Brown pulled off his second good save on 53 minutes - a tip round dive to keep out the Corby 11's angled drive. Corby should've scored before they did eventually get one on 89 minutes. 10 minutes earlier after Brown's clearance off a Macca backpass rebounded off a Corby player, the resulting cross saw their 10 head against a post - and their 12 also spurned a decent chance before he did finally give his side their late consolation.

But United could've had two late goals of their own. Lovers's son - Mark - came off the bench and saw an effort crash back off a post and then another shot was well saved by Lavin. Great to kick off with a win - but Steve Lovell knows there are a lot better sides than Corby waiting for United. The line of thought amongst those who've seen United's pre season games is that our boys are good going forward but will find it tough against the decent attacking sides as mooted earlier in this report. Speaking for myself I think United will do bloody well to get the top seven or eight place they need to ensure Premier Division football next season. The likes of Kings Lynn, Salisbury, Tonbridge, Banbury, Bashley, Histon and Stamford will be gunning for those spots - not to mention Folkestone who we visit on Tuesday evening - and be sure, they will give our lads a tough test.

As predicted by many, this game turned out to be a far tougher prospect for Steve Lovell's youthful side as they took on a Folkestone side who seem to be in the riches once again (not so long ago they were in the money mire again) and have as a result assembled a decent side which - on the night - included three ex Hastings players -Tony Kessell in goal for the holidaying Mo Munden (didn't Mo say last season that that was it - definitely - "I'm retiring"??), Adam Flanagan and on the bench, Nick Hegley who hasn't broken into the side yet.

Nobody could dispute that the better side on the night won this game but having said that, United supporters should take heart from a hard working display and had it not been for three good saves by Tony Kessell, United would have taken some reward from the game. Folkestone applied lots of pressure on Matt Brown's goal and far outnumbered United in terms of corners - but Matt actually had very few saves to make. Sadly though - what I thought was an encouraging effort by such a young side was completely overshadowed by yet another McArthur dismissal halfway through the second 45. More on him later.

United opened up pretty well on a playing surface 100% better than the World War 1 trench layout that masquerades for a pitch at The Pilot Field. And a fine break out of defence started off by McArthur doing what he should concentrate on resulted in a sweeping move the length of the pitch and a sprawling Kessell save at the foot of a post from Mitchell Sherwood (all 16 years of him). Folkestone started to apply pressure after that and Matt dealt comfortably with a header straight at him from James Dryden.

Lots of piss taking at Kess's expense when he sliced a clearance out of the ground and then Matt had another header to save - but fairly routine stuff that was. 1-0 to Invicta on 28 minutes when Alan Tait - a handful all night - was allowed to advance into the box by a static U's defence to fire past Matt. It might've been 0-2 on 31 minutes but Matt did well to one handedly keep out another Tait effort.

Chris Honey - who didn't have an effective evening - was involved in a flair up with the Folkestone 5 not long after United went behind. Worth mentioning for the common sense reaction of Folkestone's Martin Chandler who went in and calmed things down as opposed to all the shoving and other bollocks you usually see.

Peter Taylor had a good chance to level on 33 minutes but Kess was out off his line quickly to block and an outstretched leg denied Taylor.

United were to spend much of the second half on the back foot but another well constructed United move saw Taylor denied again by Kess who saved well as an equaliser looked odds on from just inside the area. United were spending most of the game in their own half - but supporters had every reason to think that a goal could materialise if they kept playing the way they were. But it all went tits up on 69 minutes when McArthur reacted to some shirt pulling (well - I was told his shirt was being pulled but I didn't see it) with the old windmill elbow routine we've come to get so pissed off with. It was all seen by the assistant who advised the referee who in turn advised McArthur where to go with an instant red (three game ban to follow). From the resulting free kick, Folkestone got their second from Tait - a well hit angled shot into the far corner. Should've been three on 76 minutes but Tait headed wide.

United's last flourish - if you could call it that - saw Ryan Peters fire a shot just wide on 88 minutes - but it was all done and dusted and the U's could have no argument with the outcome. But having said that - bearing in mind the teenage element of the United side - provided Steve Lovell can keep them together and shepherd them through the downs that will quite likely result against the better sides in the Eastern Division - then something pretty good could well come out of it all. The lads played some decent football and put together the two best moves of the game. When Carl Rook and Steve Hafner (he scored against the U's at The Pilot Field for Folkestone last season) are available - things could start to look ok.

After Tuesday's reversal at Folkestone, it was back into Kent to take on our ex jinx side, Sittingbourne. Technically this was ground 102 for me following Town and United - Sittingbourne have given up on that cavernous, atmosphereless main pitch with all the redundant trappings of their big money days and now play on a far more compact pitch next door - known as Bourne Park. Weather was on the warm, overcast side - and as for the pitch - let's just say the Pilot Field playing surface didn't look too bad compared to this one. Getting there was pretty drawn out - Hawkhurst closed due to that great British institution - Bank Holiday roadworks - so a lengthy diversion resulted with blue air in Robin's car aplenty as we encountered one 35 mph speedster after another. Jesus - where do these people originate - and why do they want to get where they're going so bleedin' slowly...... Whatever - we'd allowed enough time and got there in good time.

Guess who the referee was - our old mate from Dover last season - Valentino - resplendent with flash hair cut, trendy facial hair - and as inept as the first time we encountered him at Crabble. Give him something - he was to wind up both sets of supporters this time.

United started off well and within a minute, Peter Sayer had fired in a long range shot that the Sittingbourne keeper had to tip over. The good start soon evaporated though on a difficult playing surface. The home 6 managed to volley a goal attempt out by the corner flag as the game soon became very scrappy. Chris Honey - who had a decent game with some great distribution - saw a close range effort well blocked and Sayer went wide with another shot from distance.

Peter was not to last long after that - on 25 minutes he was caught late as he broke upfield and had to be stretchered off. The video is unclear as to who did it - but it was clear that Peter was hurt and it was disappointing that all the home side could do was line up for drinks instead of making some effort to see if he was going to be ok. Valentino - unbelievably - or in his case believably - failed to even award a free kick let alone show a yellow card - people have been sent off for less. He also failed on at least three occasions to play advantage when United looked well set - his whistle went immediately. Tony Burt's shirt pull on 39 minutes resulted in yellow - of course.

That was sooon after United survived a hand ball scare in their box. From the resulting free kick - Jamie Coyle sent in an angled headed just inside Matt Brown's far post on 39 minutes. 43 minutes gone and United were quickly level. Fine work by Monster down the right as he beat two defenders to set up Mark Lovell who volleyed home an angled shot across the flying home keeper. Great goal - and bloody good work by Chris to set it all up.

1-1 at half time - just about a fair scoreline - Tony Burt superb in defence, Ricky Spiller looking good in midfield and Chris Honey doing a good job up front. Amazingly - Peter Sayer was found on a stretcher by the entrance still waiting for an ambulance - it was assumed it was coming from Sittingbourne, Arizona.

United found themselves behind again on 49 minutes when the unmarked Coyle had time to pick his spot as he fired a well hit effort past Matt Brown. United then went through a spell where things just didn't go right. But on around the hour mark they started to click at last and it's reasonable to say they dominated the last half hour and really should've won this game. A Ryan Peters cross was headed over by Lovell - the keeper then denied Lovell with a fine save after initially going the wrong way - but United were to get their reward on 69 minutes thanks to a poor Valentino decision which saw a penalty awarded when Chris seemed to just lose his balance in the area. Up stepped Lovers Jnr to hammer home United's second equaliser.

Chris nearly caught the keeper out five minutes later when he latched onto a fine ball from Ricky Spiller and lobbed in a first time cross that the keeper had to scramble back to push clear from under his cross bar. A fright in the U's box followed - a well struck cross flew through the 6 yard box with the home 11 unable to get on the end of it - and Matt had to scramble to hold onto another cross - I thought he'd lost it. United still had two more decent chances before the end - a Graham Webb volley from distance was close - and Chris set Mark Lovell up in space - but Lovers's control let him down as he shaped to shoot.

2-2 it finished - United had done enough in that last half hour to win the game - and as with the first two games - supporters had seen some promising glimpses of things to come from Steve Lovell's new look - and very young - Hastings side. Keep getting behind them.

Steve Lovell said "Ask me again after four games" when Roger Sinden interviewed him following United's opening day win over Corby. Difficult to draw any conclusions after those four games, really. This was a poor game - the attendance was disappointing - no it wasn't, it was shit - and it has to be said United threw the points away due to two second half slips in defence when they looked to be holding on reasonably comfortably to their 1-0 lead.

Playing resources are as thin as I can ever recall - certainly since Hastings Town joined the Southern League in 1985. Following the depressing close season we always knew the emphasis would be on youth and last season's reserves - but the squad cobbled together for this game included eight of last season's reserve side. And while the jump in standard from Kent League Div 2 to DME isn't as big an ask as was being made during last season's gravity driven return to the Eastern Division - it is still expecting a lot of this bunch of lads to hack it immediately at this level.

And for all that - despite this being a drab game on a still pretty awful playing surface (which Burgess Hill quite justifiably complained about) - the boys actually didn't do too badly. Ryan Peters was out after being taken off at Sittingbourne on Saturday - Peter Taylor is out for several weeks - and it transpires that Peter Sayer who had to wait so long for an ambulance on Saturday has a broken shin bone. No Webbie either - somewhat unbelievably he's off on holiday. Don't go to Falikari, Graham, we might never see you again.

Very little to report on the opening 45. There was a long hold up when Chris Honey's challenge resulted in the Burgess Hill 11, Lewis Johnson (?), going down and staying down where he was till an ambulance turned up to take him off to the Conquest, Rumours at the time were he'd broken his leg but the ClubCall report later that night wasn't so sure. Whatever - here's hoping the lad's ok soon and that those initial rumours are incorrect. It wasn't an intentionally nasty challenge by Chris - usually in such circumstances when it is a nasty foul the reaction of team mates of the injured player say it all - and it wasn't as if the Hillbillies went after Monster. Having criticised Sittingbourne for showing little interest in the crocked Peter Sayer on Saturday at Bourne Park I found it disappointing that our lads didn't make any real effort to check out on how the Burgess Hill lad was. Maybe it's un macho - I don't know.

As to football - of which there wasn't a lot. Burgess Hill played the best of it in the 10 minutes leading up to half time - that after Steve Graham had brought a very decent tip over save out of the opposing keeper with a header from a Russel Eldridge cross. Matt Brown had several saves in that spell of pressure - the best to tip a close in, half hit effort onto a post when it looked certain United were about to go behind. Another good save came from an angled rising shot and United were probably happy when half time came to disrupt Burgess Hill.

1-0 to the U's on 51 minutes when the ever more impressive Steve Graham rose to head home a free kick inside the near post. Steve had a good game and was getting better and better as it progressed. Unfortunately he was to limp off late in proceedings and will hopefully be fit for Saturday. United looked well capable of holding onto their slender lead as Burgess Hill's game plan seemed to fall apart. Passes and shots went astray - they looked a poor side and one particularly wayward shot that cleared the trees at the Wood End prompted a shout of "Burgess Hill? You're more like Benny Hill!" which got the laugh it deserved.

And how those words came back to haunt the U's when a Bennyhillesque back header from Burty of all people failed to get anywhere near Matt Brown who was lobbed for an undeserved Hillbilly equaliser on 72 minutes. United tried to get over the shock - a nice move on the edge of the area was terminated by a blatant trip on Ricky Spiller by the Burgess Hill 3 - but Referee Alan Cork and his equally incompetent assistant failed to see it. It got worse on 82 minutes when Burty was out paced by the Burgess Hill 7 who's diagonal run to the edge of the area resulted in a well placed shot just inside Matt's post. Two goals given away in 10 minutes.

Referee Cork managed to really excel himself late on when Chris Honey - in the clear and bearing down on the edge of the box - was clearly brought down by the Burgess Hill 5 - it looked a valid candidate for a "Denying a goal scoring opportunity" instant red card - and to the drop jawed home supporters' disbelief the clown waved play on. As bad a decision as you'll ever see. Mark Lovell then went oh so close when a clever lobbed header over the keeper bounced off the Burgess Hill crossbar. As the ball was half cleared Mark went in with a very rash challenge and was lucky not to be be sent off - especially given the reaction of the Hillbilly 14 who went into a split second delayed reaction, face clutching routine - only to get up immediately. But Mark was lucky not to get sent off - maybe Cork wanted to make amends for his two earlier cock ups.

The final whistle went shortly afterwards and a truly depleted United side must've known that despite the inexperience and youth of the side that Steve Lovell was able to put out - they had still done enough to win the game only to see two errors by the most experienced player of the lot cost them three points. But on the plus side - despite it being a poor game etc etc etc - Steve Graham looked very good in midfield as the match progressed - Matt Brown is looking a fine replacement for King Dave (who, er, let in 5 for Hendon), Mark Lovell looks a handful up front and Ricky Spiller looks good too. Get Ryan Peters and Peter Taylor back in - get Stuart Myall fit and back in there - then who can tell.

Oh well - normal service resumed as United tumbled out of the FA Cup at the first hurdle. Last season's exploits will hopefully be repeated before I have grand children. And the down side of concentrating on the league so early in the season is that the U's - who could do with a few quid - got naff all from the prize money pot - in start contrast to the £37,500 they banked last season along with the publicity and the fleeting "big match" interest from all those loyal U's supporters who'd been avidly loyal U's supporters for at least a month beforehand.

795 in for Hendon - 1538 for Kettering, 1144 at the replay and 1821 at Stevenage - we even had 400 in for the Selsey game. And on Saturday when Bracknell came to town with 20 or 30 of their own - we couldn't break the 300 barrier - a lousy 289 turned up. Jesus - how things have changed in such a short time.

Many people generally tend to let results dictate their level of support. United are - not surprisingly - finding it tough going after the initial boost of the opening day win at home to Corby. But - frustratingly - they're not getting much in the way of breaks at the moment - er, other than the dodgy penalty at Sittingbourne it has to be said.

And this game - in which the U's did enough to at least warrant a replay - could well have hinged on a crucial decision midway through the second half when a surely, badly sited - and sighted - linesman's flag gave Bracknell the benefit of the doubt when Mark Lovell, having robbed the keeper of the ball as he was "seeing it out" (in other words just getting in Mark's way and preventing him from trying to get at the ball - unsuccessfully as it happened), rolled the ball inside the far post from the most acute of angles only for the linesman's flag and a grinning referee (there's fuck all funny about life at The Pilot Field right now, Mr O'Keefe) to rule out what would have been a goal to put United 2-1 ahead. Check the picture out from the video - it's grainy as stills from videos always are - but it really does look borderline. Was that ball entirely over the line?? Whatever - the decision didn't go our way.

United had started reasonably well on the still horrendous looking Pilot Field pitch. A long range Lovell effort wasn't far away with under a minute on the clock - but Bracknell should have gone ahead on 2 minutes when a well flighted cross from the left was headed over from close in by their 9. Bracknell dominated the next 10 minutes or so as United - with Carl Rook, Steve Haffner and Ryan Peters back in the side - found themselves back pedalling. Not that Matt had a lot to do in goal.

18 minutes gone - and not long after I'd grumbled to Dave Moore about Monster not doing anything in the opposing area - a good link up between Haffner and Ricky Spiller saw Chris turn sharply and place his shot perfectly inside the far post. Nice move and a well taken goal - good to see Chris get on the score sheet early in the season. And it should've been 2-0 on 21 minutes when the keeper fumbled a cross from the left and Lovell - two yards out - scuffed his shot and saw it cleared off the line. United seemed to be comfortably holding onto their slender lead - and just as in the previous game against Burgess Hill - conceded an equaliser out of the blue right on half time. A well worked move outside the area saw Jon Palmer go clear and shoot past the exposed Matt Brown.

Steve Graham had a good chance to restore United's lead on 61 minutes when - unmarked - he was distracted just enough by a Bracknell defender and shot past the post when a goal looked certain. Bracknell threatened soon afterwards and Matt had to be quick off his line to block well and soon after that we had that controversial linesman's flag. No disputing the 72nd minute penalty that saw Bracknell take the lead. Seconds after more good work by Brown when he replicated his rush off the line to block - Carl Rook tripped the Bracknell 8 and United were behind in a game they should really have had under control.

They kept plugging away on a pitch that makes decent passing football impossible - and Steve Haffner did well to get inside the area on 84 minutes and fire a cross through the 6 yard box that was so strong that Lovell couldn't get any direction on his shot at the far post and hit it straight back across the goal mouth where the keeper did well to get down and hold tight. And it was the keeper who set up Bracknell's third - a long punt on 90 minutes - United left exposed at the back and once again, Matt Brown found himself lobbed by Adam Crittenden for one of those agonising "will it or won't it" efforts that slowly bounced into his goal to give Bracknell a very flattering 3-1 margin.

That's a grand down the pan with the very real chance of adding to it with a home tie against Hartley Wintney awaiting the winners of this game. United did ok - it was a nothing special game and I believe that they've probably produced their best football against the best side they've faced - Folkestone - and on what looked a half decent pitch. The Pilot Field is diabolical - and so, come to that - was Sittingbourne's pitch. A draw and two defeats from their last three games isn't a fair reflection on how they've played - a side with that elusive jigsaw falling into place could easily have won all three games against what was fairly average opposition - twice United have led only to concede equalisers out of the blue.

But like it says earlier - people remember results and our plummeting gates reflect that.