From outstanding to ordinary – the Eastbourne Borough displays that tell story of another season to savour

So that’s a wrap: by five o’clock on Saturday, another season will be completed. On the field, hopes and disappointments. New players, new ambitions. Pace and energy, skill and invention. Scorching goals scored – and one or two clumsy ones conceded. And in the club as a whole, commitment and community. Enterprise, engagement, friendships and fun.

When the final whistle at Braintree called time on Borough’s play-offs challenge, there was natural disappointment and frustration. There is always a “what if” and a “what might have been”. This goal attempt missed, that shot that hit the post. It’s impossible not to reflect that the two points stolen by Chippenham’s “phantom goal” would have nudged Borough inside the top seven positions, rather than just outside, as we line up for our closing fixture against Concord Rangers. But success and progress are measured over a season.

And that season has seen us richly entertained. Danny’s teams are always front-foot, and their tactics have so often echoed Danny Blanchflower’s maxim of “equalise before the other team score”. On the long, winding road since last August, there have been thrills and spills, narrow defeats and last-gasp victories. But not a lot of dull moments. Let’s track back… Snippets from our club match reports are in italics….

AUGUST : a tough trip to Oxford City on the opening day. “On paper, it had looked a tough opening fixture. But on Oxford City’s burning-hot 3G on Saturday, Eastbourne Borough moved straight up through the gears and finished in cruise control at 3-1.” But then back to the Lane with a bump: home defeats to Bath City and Ebbsfleet, with both visitors nicking dramatic late goals. “Borough had surprised and dominated the title favourites from North Kent, leading 2-1 with just ten minutes left, before the ten-man visitors drilled holes in the home defence to win 3-2 and leave Sports players, manager and supporters in crumpled, exhausted disbelief.” A shabby performance at Hungerford followed, before the Sports ended August with victory over Dulwich Hamlet – hallmarked by a stunning Shiloh Remy winner – and a worthy point at Worthing.

SEPTEMBER: Still not quite in overdrive. Decent victories over Dover Athletic, away at Concord, and FA Cup progress against Uxbridge. But also the uglier side of the Beautiful Game – bust-ups and defeat against Welling, and narrow undeserved defeat at Dartford, where a minority of home fans disgraced themselves with racist conduct. It’s ironic but true, that a fleeting moment of outrage actually allows us to re-assert our true non-league values and beliefs. Let’s move on.

OCTOBER: A brilliant FA Cup victory over Worthing was followed by the crushing of Weymouth. As your reporter put it, “Danny’s engaging, perpetual-motion team have a few faults. Unless you’re Manchester City, you are likely to misplace the occasional pass or mistime a run. But the plus points come in bundles: high energy, inventive movement, even the readiness to take a risk or two. And goals, goals, goals at the SO Legal Community Stadium.” But those were false hopes for a disappointing month that followed, including an honourable FA Cup exit at Maidenhead. And the 0-5 surrender at Chelmsford was possibly the low point, and the poorest performance, of the season.

NOVEMBER: A breathtaking month. Six victories, one draw, no defeats. Eighteen goals scored, two conceded. Ebbsfleet pitched out of the Trophy – savour that moment: “Whelpdale’s swerving low shot drew a fine sprawling save from keeper Mark Cousins for a left-wing corner. Kai Innocent pinged this one to the front post, where it was cleared straight back to him: this time he played it to Whelps, whose exquisite up-and-downer cleared the packed goalmouth and found the commanding figure of Hutchinson for a neat back-post header into the net. The softest goal of the season, one home reporter labelled it, but from a Borough view it was inventive, sweetly executed and confidently finished.”

DECEMBER: mixed results – a disappointing Trophy exit to Bracknell Town, but brilliant away wins in the league at Ebbsfleet and Havant. The away form was becoming the stuff of title chasers – but undermined by disappointing home defeats. Which was the real Eastbourne Borough?

JANUARY: Three successive defeats opened the New Year – to Havant, Worthing and Bath City – then the Sports finally kick-started 2023 with a marvellous 3-1 victory at Champion Hill, coming from behind to defeat Dulwich with three late strikes. Back on track, then? Well, not exactly. After a crazy Senior Cup exit with an inexperienced line-up against Bognor Regis Town (2-6 despite Milly Scarlett’s 12-second opener!), the Sports welcomed Taunton Town - and once again were mugged at home. “Sensational keeping by young Jack Bycroft helped Taunton to snatch the points from an Eastbourne Borough side who dominated but could not quite finish – or at least could not find a way past the Peacocks’ young keeper. Taunton’s three goals, in fact, came from just four efforts on target, including the penalty that broke the deadlock early in the second half. By contrast, the Sports had much more of the ball, but nothing to show for it.”

FEBRUARY: with crucial injuries piling high, Danny had been tearing his hair out (so to speak) simply trying to field eleven fit players – but there were signs of better things. A cracking game, and 2-0 victory, over Farnborough gave everyone heart. Especially, the three young front players who would set light to a proper Borough play-off campaign: “When Gravata and Remy are on the ball, you can see the fear in defenders’ eyes, and their pace and movement from wide positions were once again exhilarating. But the double spearhead has now become a triple threat: after a couple of games to bed in, Luke Pearce has now become a centre-back’s nightmare with his timing, speed and close control.

MARCH – was mixed but a lot more promising. The months were bridged by a crazy Tuesday night trip to Taunton, leaving at midday on February 28th and returning to the Lane – with three brilliant points in the bag – at 3.35am on the 1st March. Well, it felt like a month…. In fact the only March blemish was (yet) another home defeat, to Tonbridge Angels, but otherwise the Sports were humming. Three-two away at St Albans… “Over the ninety minutes, few would argue. In an exciting and open game, there were chances a-plenty for both sides, and the Saints led 2-1 at half-time. But Borough grew ever stronger, and their front three of Luke Pearce, Shiloh Remy and Leone Gravata had a ponderous home defence scrambling time after time. The tireless and tenacious Pearce levelled the scores at 2-2 before Wabo’s dramatic winner six minutes from time”.

APRIL – and play-off prospects very much alive. The long trip to Weymouth brought a gritty team performance, with three points secured by Ryan Bartley’s superb goal – a move started and finished off by the Crystal Palace youngster. Then, on Good Friday, one of the best games of this long season: a dramatic 2-1 victory over second-placed Dartford, who had taken a first-half lead, until everything changed… “Home faces were a bit gloomy at half-time, and home shoulders were shrugging. Surely Dartford would control the second half, defend their lead and snuff out any Eastbourne creativity? Yet another home defeat? The writing was on the wall…

But Borough tore up the script. In a sensational five minutes from the restart, they suddenly sliced Dartford apart. Walker cut infield from the left and curled a ball to Gravata, who chested it forward, pounced on a hopeless botched clearance attempt by centre-back Connor Essam, and smashed an angled shot past Dudzinski to equalise.

Two minutes later, the Sports were ahead, with all three of the young terriers involved. Remy collected Ryan Bartley’s high ball up the right, sweetly turned infield and found Gravata just outside the box. Two touches, and he played in Pearce: but with six defenders in the box, and the narrowest of channels through them, on a fifteen-yard diagonal, it would need an inspired strike to find the far bottom corner. Step up, one inspired young striker – and Luke’s low shot scudded into the net.

Dartford defenders stared at each other, briefly played the blame game, and trudged to half-way to begin the task of recovery. But now, with a roaring home crowd raising the Priory Lane roofs, the chemistry of this remarkable afternoon had utterly changed.”

Three games left – but on Easter Monday, the Sports turned from purring football machine to a motor car with a flat tyre, losing a listless and low-quality game 1-0 at Welling. Football is a fickle mistress. A smart team performance brought a 3-0 victory over Hemel Hempstead, and everything rested on a tough away fixture at Braintree. Not for nothing are the Essex club nicknamed “The Iron”. Borough were not especially second-best, but they were never allowed to play their football, slipping behind in first-half stoppage time and conceding a late second.

And so an eventful season closes. Too many injuries? Too many points dropped at home? Danny and his staff and players can reflect, but they shouldn’t be dejected. We have seen honest effort, intelligent teamwork, dazzling attacking play, from a group of players who give absolutely everything. They are as proud of the shirt as we are proud of the lads who wear it. National South is a terrific division, and we’ll be back to give it another go.

Editor’s note: We’d like to thank Kevin Anderson (reports and reaction) and Lydia and Nick Redman and Andy Pelling (pictures) for providing top-class coverage of Eastbourne Borough this season. They have covered every game between them and have enabled us to share the story of the Sports’ season with readers of this website and the Eastbourne Herald. Their efforts are hugely appreciated.