Ade and Tim Olorunda, plus Lee Worgan have all decided to make the trip up the A21 to sign for the Kent club.

And more of last season's squad could be leaving The Pilot Field as Division One South side Ashford Town are hot on the heels of Sam Adams, Rhys Whyborne and captain Jimmy Elford.

It appears the trio have been offered vastly improved deals by the lower grade Kent club which is managed by former Hastings boss Steve Lovell. Ashford are also skippered by former U's favourite Sean Ray.

Striker Ade Olorunda, 25, bagged 15 goals last season and his bustling all-action style impressed a number of clubs, while 23-year-old Tim was an integral part of the Hastings midfield.

Worgan, meanwhile, could lay claim to being the best goalkeeper seen in Hastings colours over the last 10 or 15 years.

Signed in October 2006, the former Wales Under-21 international was without doubt Hastings' most influential player during their promotion season.

He maintained his high standards in the Ryman Premier and it was generally expected that if he was to leave would go on to a higher standard of football.

Hastings were hoping to stem the exodus of players with the appointment of John Lambert as manager and Wayne Farrier as his assistant.

Lambert, who has taken over from Tony Dolby, admitted it had been a tough first few days in the job. "We've got to stop the haemorrhaging, we need to get one or two to stay," he said.

Lambert, 49, is a well-known and popular figure on the local football scene, and was caretaker manager for a couple of games prior to Dolby's appointment in January.

He took charge of the club's reserves last summer and guided them to a top five finish in Reserve Section Premier of the Sussex County League.

They also won the Hastings & District FA Intermediate Cup and reached the semi-finals of the Sussex County FA Intermediate Cup.

"He's a good guy, he a football man and he's a Hastings man and right now that's more important than somebody with more of a track record but coming from outside," said Hastings chairman Dave Walters.