Boss Tony Dolby says Hastings United do not have the mental strength to sustain their top two status in the Ryman premier after watching a thriller with Ashford Town.

A point lifted United to second in the table but it was hard to decide whether they dropped two points after leading 3-1 or were fortunate to grab one after they snatched an equaliser in injury time at the Pilot Field.

Two weeks ago, a first-half horror show contributed to a 6-1 FA Trophy defeat to lower league Merstham but last week they closed out a 2-1 win at in-form Kingstonian despite playing with ten men for much of the game.

Fittingly on Halloween they produced another Jekyll and Hyde performance and it left Dolby questioning whether they have the collective discipline to maintain their lofty perch.

He said: “I don’t believe we can maintain this position because I don’t think we’re mentally strong enough.

“It has been proven week in, week out that we can do it. We have a group of lads here that are capable of winning games, winning battles in midfield, stopping other teams from scoring and scoring ourselves.

“We have got all of that and we have got the best squad we have worked with down here.

“But can they produce it and sustain it? I don’t think so. Not on the basis of what I have seen today, Merstham and Waltham Abbey away in the second half.

“All those performances leave me thinking we do not have enough to be there or thereabouts.

“It’s a matter of when is our next problem going to come? It is going to be everything I am looking for or is it going to be completely the opposite.

“I’'m not accepting that and they have got to prove me wrong. They have got to prove to themselves that they are capable of producing performances on a more consistent basis.

“When they play badly they must not get beat by doing the wrong things. If they have an off day we still should nick a draw or grind out a win “Even if our passing isn’t great, they must still be tight and strong. They do it one game and not the next and it’s bewildering at the moment.”

Anyone who witnessed Saturday’s match would find it hard to argue with Dolby’s assessment.

Russell Eldridge headed home a Liam Upton cross on 11 minutes to put Hastings ahead but both sides squandered a host of chances before United keeper Josh Willis, on his debut, felled Byron Harrison for a penalty which the same player converted for the equaliser three minutes before the break.

Hastings replied almost immediately with Upton scoring in first-half injury time and the game should have been out of sight on 51 minutes when Ade Olorunda turned a defender superbly to score.

But Hone Fowler headed home a corner on 81 minutes and Harrison beat Willis to a high ball to nod in his second three minutes later to level.

Ashford skipper Paul Johnson curled in what looked like the winner on 90 minutes but Tim Olorunda headed home deep into injury time to wrap up the scoring.

Hastings: Willis, Jirbandey (Elliott 52), Elford, Whyborne (Ramsay 45), Ray, Phillips (Carey 72), Adams, T, Olorunda, A. Olorunda, Upton, Eldridge. Subs not used: Newman, Mclean.