Are Eastbourne borough getting back on track after FA Cup win?
Back on track? Eastbourne Borough's FA Cup victory last weekend was at least a course correction.
After three successive Isthmian Premier defeats, all by 1-0, manager Steve King was smiling again - but cautious.
"I had felt comfortable at 2-0 - but by 2-2 at half-time I was a lot less happy and I had one or two choice words in the dressing room at half-time,” he said. “2-0 up and cruising, but then a mistake for 2-1 and a kamikaze tackle to concede the penalty for 2-2.
"We did control the game in spells, but Whitehawk as the home team had a real go, as you would expect. Then an outstanding goal by Kai Corbett from the free-kick. He has that quality, and he showed it.
"After that we saw the game out professionally. Credit to Whitehawk, who are a fine club where, of course, I have very positive memories. Good people and a good manager (Jay Lovett). I've been made very welcome today. But anyway, we're in the hat for the next round, which is the most important outcome.
"The three league defeats were frustrating. At Cray both teams were poor. Leatherhead was a single sucker-punch goal. At Lewes, we dominated the game, and they had one shot in the ninety - or ninety-seven - minutes.
"In our league, from the minute the bookmakers made us promotion favourites, every opponent wants to stop us. So we need to prove ourselves week by week, game after game.
"At Whitehawk, we came through a serious challenge and that will do us a power of good. The most serious negative is that we have lost Easty (skipper Craig Eastmond, to a first-half injury). And our numbers are not strong in midfield. So I may well need to speak to the club and get a loan player in for a month."
King will have no complaints about Borough's home draw in the second qualifying round of the FA Cup. Lower-league Windsor and Eton will visit the Connect Management Stadium on Saturday week (19th), and the Sport will be clear favourites to progress.
Meanwhile, the King's Men return to Priory Lane tomorrow (Saturday) for a home fixture with Cheshunt. The visitors will be seeking their first victory of the campaign - having lost one of their five league games, and drawn the other four!
The Borough squad does still look light on numbers, and the manager's mobile will probably have been busy as Saturday approaches! But the mood is good, and the direction of travel is upward!