Hastings United chairman Dave Walters has urged supporters to be patient in their wait for a new manager.

Walters faced questions in a fans' forum following United's 2-1 win against the Met Police at the Pilot Field last night.

He said he has a potential new boss in mind but will not be rushed into appointing a successor to Neville Southall, who was sacked last week.

Walters said: "I can't say who is going to take over because I don't know yet.

"I have been making lots of phone calls and have been working hard so something will, hopefully, happen soon.

"When Neville left I had two names in my mind. One was Francis Vines who was, very close to coming and I was gutted not to get him.

"That leaves the other one and we will have to wait and see what happens." Walters admitted the new man is not likely to be local.

He added: "When you look around the area, with respect to some of the County League managers, no one jumps out at you.

"In an ideal world we would love to have a team of local players and a local manager but it is very difficult and we probably can't do it."

Walters denied popular coach Terry White was sacked and says there is still a chance he could be involved with the club in the future. He said: "I have not got a problem with Terry and I made an offer for him to stay which he turned down.

"I understand he is liked by the fans and loves the club and discussions are still going on between us."

Whoever does takeover United will inherit a young side full of confidence following last night's win.

Under the guidance of caretaker coaches Pat Brown and Nigel Kane, United largely outplayed the more experienced visitors with neat passing football.

They took the lead after six minutes through a cool finish from Wes Lopez after Ade Olorunda ran half the length of the pitch to cross from the byline.

The lively Olorunda, who later limped off injured, also set up the second for Duncan McArthur just before the halfhour.

He rounded keeper Stuart MacKenzie and squared across goal for the former Albion midfielder to side-foot inside the near post beyond the desperate lunge of covering defender James Evans.

The Police missed two opportunities to get back in the game before half-time. Rob Hayworth looked certain to score when the United defence opened up for him ten yards out but he smashed his shot against the crossbar.

Goalkeeper John Sullivan, on work experience from Albion, then made a superb reaction stop to keep out a close-range volley from Kevin Cooper.

The visitors needed a bit of luck to make the breakthrough on 62 minutes. Craig Brown's low long-range drive was deflected past Sullivan's dive and found the net via the inside of a post.