St Leonards manager Glyn White has accused rivals Hastings of sabotaging his side's chances in the East Sussex derby on New Year's Day.

White is furious that the Dr Martens eastern division clash was called off at noon and he believes club officials at the Pilot Field feared the pitch would have made the contest more even.

The match was called off after a midday pitch inspection but White said: "I was disappointed the game was postponed so early.

"With the teams being so nearby I felt they could have left it later. I think we could have got the game on at our place.

"It should have gone ahead and I suspect Hastings didn't want to play us on a pitch that was a leveller. If you left it another 30 minutes it might have been ok. It was thawing out nicely."

George Wakeling, the boss of high-flying Hastings said: "What a stupid thing to say. You couldn't even get a pitch fork in the ground.

"There wasn't a game on anywhere else in the county. Even the Brighton game was called off.

"The conditions would have been a leveller but we were looking forward to a bumper gate."

Wakeling was travelling down from his London home when he heard the game was off.

He added: "If Glen feels that way he should speak to the league. The only way a game gets called off is if the referee says so."

Saints travel to Sittingbourne tomorrow on the back of their first win in 11 games over Ashford on Boxing Day. White has injury worries over Tony Cornelius and Jimmy Elford but the Saints boss revealed he is trying to sign an unnamed football league player.

White is also keen to snap up Eastbourne Borough defender Ben Austin.

Wakeling has bigger injury concerns and will be without Landry Zahana-Oni (cheekbone), Danny Simmonds (ankle), Paul Ruddy (back) and Adam Flanagan (suspension) for Hastings' home game with Stamford.