Eastbourne Borough boss Garry Wilson is keeping his sense of humour despite the run of bad luck which is threatening to derail his side's bid for a top 13 finish.

The non-league reshuffle at the end of the season means much is at stake for Borough who could miss out on the new southern division of the Nationwide Conference next season if they finish below 13th.

Borough have a crippling injury list and Wilson's attempt to look at a couple of replacements to boost the squad was thwarted by fog on Tuesday at Welling.

Borough have signed Steve Causon from Crawley on a month's loan while they are also looking at Ollie Rowland from County League Whitehawk.

Both were handed starts at Welling but the game was abandoned after 30 minutes leaving Wilson none the wiser as to the abilities of the new boys nor the fitness of Stuart Tuck and John Westcott, who were both making their comebacks from injury.

Wilson said: "The day was a bit of a nightmare all round. The fog and the traffic on the M25 was terrible and some of the players took three hours to get there and were late.

"The fog looked like it might lift but 25 minutes into the game you could not see a thing.

"Some of the players told me they played well and deserve a place tomorrow against Stafford but I don't know because I couldn't see them!

"I wanted to have a good look at Ollie and Steve but obviously it was not possible."

Rowland was signed on the understanding that he will be back with Whitehawk for tomorrow's FA Vase tie. Causon, who is on the fringes of the Crawley squad, is at Priory Lane for a month.

Wilson said: "With Ollie it was going to be a good chance for us to take a look at him and him to take a look at us. There is no hard decision to be made on him yet and the deal was he stays with Whitehawk."

Rowland, a former England under-18 player who spent time with Crystal Palace, has been impressing in the County League.

Wilson will also ask chairman Len Smith to release funds to strengthen the squad.

Defender Ben Austin, who is out for the rest of the season with a chronic back problem, Danny Simmonds (arm), Simon Ullathorne (thigh) and Stewart Holmes (ankle) will definitely not figure tomorrow. Ex-Albion fullback Stuart Tuck (knee) is rated 50-50 but Dave Adams (ankle) and midfielder John Westcott (back) could play.

Meanwhile, manager Steve Lovell insists Hastings should fear no-one in the eastern division.

United slumped to the bottom of the league earlier in the season but a run of four games without defeat has given Lovell new optimism.

He said: "Apart from Tonbridge Angels who are top of the league, I think we can beat anyone with the sort of football we have been playing."