Manager Garry Haylock made two changes from his side that lost narrowly at Lewes on Saturday, Matthew Hislop came in at left-back for the injured Peter Collins while Staforde Palmer was preferred to Kieran Knight in attack.

The game started at a good fast pace and Kevin Davies' skills were required as early as the 2nd minute, a low free-kick was fired into the box, Ashan Holgate stepped over the ball before receiving the return from Gareth Hopkins only to be denied by a sharp Davies block.

United has a succession of early corners but failed to test the visiting keeper with our first chance coming when Simon Martin flicked on a Liam Collins cross to Palmer but his volley was far too high. Palmer's alertness almost brought a goal on 23 minutes when he chased down a weak Andy Robertson back-pass but despite getting a foot to Northmore's attempted clearance the ball went wide of the target.

Davies then had to be quick to push a skidding Craig Loxton shot around the post before the United stopper was in a collision with an on-coming forward and was forced to leave the field with what turned out to be a dislocated finger. His replacement being the inexperienced John Peacock who was making his first Conference appearance.

Within a minute of the enforced substitution, United took the lead. A sliced clearance on the right side was won in the air by Hendry finding Martin and although he was tackled before he could fire goalwards the loose ball fell nicely to James Edgerley who took a touch before confidently firing left footed past Northmore.

The lead could and probably should have been doubled before the break, Collins and Page combined well on the right side with the latter's cross picking out Martin at the far post but his header with only Northmore to beat came back off the outside of the post.

Where the first period had ended on a high, the second certainly started on a low for United as just eight minutes in the Seagulls equalised. Loxton floated a free-kick into the box to be met by veteran Marc McGregor, his header while initially looking harmless went past all players in the six yard box and also past stand-in keeper Peacock who I am sure would be annoyed at being beaten in this manner.

The sides were level though for just four minutes as Will Hendry advanced before playing a perfect ball into the run of Palmer who cool as you like slammed the ball past Northmore. The goalfest was not over yet though, two minutes later the Seagulls were level once more. Dean Grubb played a deep ball across the park that was flicked on by Holgate to McGregor at the far post where he took a touch back onto his right foot leaving Page on his backside before firing across Peacock into the roof of the net.

With just over an hour played Peacock did very well to close down and block an on-coming Holgate after he was sent through by a Grubb-Hopkins combination and the young keeper was again well positioned to catch hold of an Aaron Wilson header from a Barry McConnell corner.

McConnell himself then headed over from six yards out before the United forwards, Palmer and Kieran Knight joined forces to set up Edgerley but he rushed his shot and was wide of the target. In the dying embers Palmer received a Collins throw before shooting on the turn but Northmore was more than equal to it.

Report by Kevin Watts.

United Man of the Match (as voted by the matchday sponsors) : Staforde Palmer.