From the delight of defeating Ryman league bound Dorking Wanderers the previous weekend came the disappointment of letting a two goal lead slip against bottom of the league Selsey.
Nothing should be taken away from Selsey however, as their perseverance and determination paid off to deny Simon Rowland victory in his 100th game in charge of United.
The game had started brightly for United with a goal inside the opening three minutes. Russ Tanner denied Toby Lempriere with an instinctive low stop and United broke on the counter attack with playmaker Wes Tate finding the galloping Aaron Capon, who confidently placed the ball past Kieron Gilbert in the home goal. Despite their lowly position, Selsey responded and Tanner was by far the busier ‘keeper in the opening 45 minutes.
Tanner’s goal was breached on the stroke of half-time as a long ball was deflected into the path of Lindon Miller who slotted across Tanner for the equaliser.
Cameron Correll could have sent Selsey in to the break leading the contest as he caught the United defence knapping, but he lifted over Tanner’s crossbar.
The second half saw United, with a swirling wind at their back, push on with Tate seeing an effort saved following an enterprising run and cross from Brad Lewis. Lewis saw his game ended on the hour through a knee injury, with Mike Gardner his replacement. Joe Summerbell saw a half volley narrowly clear the crossbar, before United regained the lead on 68 minutes. Matt Geard’s drilled cross fell to Max Taylor 12 yards out and the youngster took the ball on his left foot and hit his effort goalwards through the grasp of Gilbert, who will be disappointed not to have saved the effort.
With a little over quarter of an hour left to play, United looked to have assured three points in their final away fixture of the season as Matt Geard struck his first goal in a United shirt with a 30 yard free kick from the right wing that evaded everyone in the area and nestled in the far corner.
But as had been the case at Crawley Down Gatwick at the end of March, the home side threw bodies forward in the hope of getting something from the fixture; and they did.
A left wing corner found David Rough unmarked at the far post as he headed in to give Selsey a glimmer of hope, before two minutes from time the comeback was completed as Mark Thompson fired home past Tanner to see the game finish 3-3.