Diamonds managed to see off Eatbourne Borough 1-0 in the Blue Square Premier.

And Tomlin, who signed a new contract in the summer and was playing in a right-wing role, received particular praise from his boss.

"Tomlin looked very sharp in the first half and he was a big threat," Hill said.

"He won the penalty and rightly so. Overall I thought he did very well.

"It's a good position for him and he is relishing playing out there.

"He also knows that he has got to do the other side of things by defending and working hard for the team."

The Diamonds boss Hill was also happy with the win but is looking for improvement

He added: "I think the first game of the season is always going to be hard.

"We didn't play as well as we would have liked. But it's all about getting the right result."

For full reaction and to read Mark Lea's take on how things went in Sussex do not miss your copy of Monday's Evening Telegraph.