Crawley boss Billy Smith is hoping to sign a defender in time for tomorrow's top of the table clash with Ilkeston at Broadfield Stadium.

Smith is trying to improve his squad from a position of strength after Tuesday's 2-1 win at Bath left them level on points with premier division leaders Havant and Waterlooville.

Striker Warren Waugh, who missed the midweek victory with flu, should be fit but Keith Sharman, John Ugbah, Jimmy Dack and Nigel Brake are still ruled out with injury.

St Leonards boss Micky Taylor says his decision to release John Crumplin last week was the biggest mistake in his 24 years of football management.

Crumplin is back in the St Leonards squad ahead of their trip to Stamford, just ten days after he was told the club could not afford to keep him.

Taylor missed Crumplin so much in his side's 4-3 defeat at Spalding last Saturday that he phoned the defender up and got him back to The Firs.

"We were completely lost without him," admitted Taylor. "It was probably the biggest mistake of my managerial career and once I realised what I did, I made a hasty call to John."

The Saints' manager has a fully fit squad to chose from including Danny Moody, who missed the midweek cup defeat to Eastbourne Borough.

Eastbourne Borough defender Steve Willard has hung up his boots.

Borough manager Garry Wilson said: "Steve has decided to retire. He has thought long and hard about his decision but he is finding it increasingly difficult to keep playing and juggle his time with a hard manual job. We appreciate his honesty."

He added: "When I first came down here 13 years ago I played in the same team as Sticky and I have managed him for ten to 11 years after that. He is a good player but also a good friend. "

Former Albion defender Stuart Tuck comes straight into the Borough squad for their trip to Spalding United tomorrow.