UNITED NEED A GOBBLER UP FRONT

READ ONE dossier for both United matches. Whether at Littlehampton last Wednesday or at Eastbourne on Saturday, United's was a tale of enough chances to feed a crowd but forwards without enough teeth to turn them into goals. Any defensive lapse was therefore expensively punished although tactically United were spot-on.

Boss Ian Browne's new 4-3-3 excursion is cutting open defences but he knows: "I need an experienced, greedy and proven striker. He'd get 30 goals a season from what we're creating."

United forced Littlehampton into long-balling, only to fall asleep and allow Mark Windsor in for 1-0, then ex-United man Lee Gibbs sealed it with an untouchable strike.

Lively Sonny Banks scored first and last at Eastbourne, sandwiching three preventable goals. Lee Bone, needing a call from behind him, turned a cross into his own net; Andy Atkin's free kick caught keeper Dean Fuller malpositioned; and with Fuller slow to advance off his line, East-bourne Borough dual-signing Mark Goodwin grabbed the third.

UNITED at Littlehampton: Fuller; Aylett, Footman, Pickles, Keech; Webb, N.Shelley, J.Shelley; Moses, Schneider, Banks. Subs: Texteira (Schneider inj 15), Bone (ill in warm-up), Browne (hip inj). First United defeat in seven games.

UNITED at Eastbourne UA: Fuller, Aylett, Bone, Keech; Webb, N.Shelley, Moses; Texteira, Browne, Banks. Subs: Maymon (Texteira 75), no others. Att: 105.

LANCING boss Mark Cox admitted at Wealden he had misguidedly stuck to the 4-5-1 which undid leaders Crowborough the game before, and wasted striker Adam Burton in filling the left-midfield slot vacated by the suspended Wesley Lopez. Add poor Lancers passing and defending, and Wealden looked the stronger side.

Keith Mtambara's attempt to turn away a dangerous cross went the wrong side of his own post in the 14th minute and Dan Merry pounced at a corner in the 39th.

LANCING: Reid; Mtambara, Crush, Bailey, Ettridge; Dixon, Rhodie, Martin, MacDonald, Burton; Hannah. Subs: Wright (Mtambara 65), Partridge (Rhodie 70), Lester (MacDonald 76).