Anokye strikes to hand Eastbourne Borough win at Hampton and Richmond

Matt Burgess’ goal gave The Sports a deserved lead early on, but as the game wore on the hosts improved.

And they drew back on level terms through Max Kretzschmar midway through the second half, before Anokye’s late effort gave Borough all three points.

Interim boss Robbie Blake made one change to the Sports line up – being in goal where Rohan Luthra was handed his full debut after joining this week.

Borough got off to a fast start in West London – with Adam May stinging the palms of Marcus Dewhurst from the edge of the area before the Hampton keeper’s outstretched leg denied George Alexander.

And the Sports got the breakthrough their early pressure deserved on 12 minutes. Kai Corbett released Alexander down the left, who broke through on goal before cutting the ball across to Burgess who made no mistake.

As the half wore on, though, Hampton grew into the game – but it wasn’t the most free-flowing due to a high foul count. Luthra was called into action for the first time, doing well to get down low to his right to hold on to Kretzschmar’s effort.

Out of nothing, Borough nearly doubled their lead just before the break when a throw-in was played to Corbett, who took a shot on first time from range and Dewhurst was forced to turn the ball over the bar.

May then went for an outrageous effort on goal from inside his own half early in the second half, and it looked to catch Dewhurst out, but the ball bounced just over.

Hampton’s pressure increased – Craig Fasanmade fired over, before they drew level midway through the second half.

Substitute Brendan Kiernan found space to get the ball in from the right and pick out Kretzschmar, who glanced his header beyond Luthra and into the far corner.

Reece Grego-Cox then flicked the ball into the path of Ronan Silva, but he flashed his effort high and wide of the near post.

The hosts went close again with ten minutes to go, with Silva firing just over from twelve yards after Kiernan had an effort well blocked by the defence.

But having soaked up the pressure, Borough went and found a winner with six minutes to go.

Harvey Skieter came off the bench to make his debut and he found Craig Eastmond on the edge of the box, and he clipped the ball through to another substitute – Anokye – who provided a killer blow as he found the far corner to score his first goal for the Sports, and one which will live long in the memory.

Unlike previous wins this season, this victory demonstrated a different side of the Sports – it wasn’t a dominant display, but instead a hard-working performance which was rewarded with a big three points.

Borough are back in action tonight – they host Horsham YM in a much-delayed Sussex Transport Senior Cup quarter-final.