Borough and Town complete the Eastbourne derby series – and learn plenty ahead of the league kick-off

In the previous week or so, both clubs had already taken on Eastbourne United, who were despatched 2-0 by the Sports, before a highly competitive Tuesday night at the Saffrons, when Anthony Storey's men had claimed the Eastbourne Charity Cup by a narrow 3-2.

Is there actually another town of Eastbourne's size which can sustain three senior football clubs at Step 5 or above in the non-league pyramid?

And never mind the "pre-season friendly" label: the games have been keenly contested, with plenty at stake – including the need for players to impress their gaffers and claim a starting shirt when the season proper opens very soon.

An impressive 455 spectators were there to enjoy it - with all proceeds to the very worthiest cause of St Wilfrid’s Hospice. Priory Lane, in the burning heat of Saturday afternoon, was looking spruced up and proud of itself.

The newly-laid 4G pitch was a glowing green - quite a contrast with the original rather tired 3G pitch which served Borough for a decade before this summer's renovation.

The new pitch, in fact, is 1.6m narrower on either side - about ten feet in old money. It brings the dimensions down closer to the National League average - as well as inviting long-throw specialists to launch their missiles.

And along the touchlines, the old railings have been renewed with smart new barriers – improving safety and giving spectators a clearer view of the action.

Borough were certainly worth their 3-1 victory, but Jude Macdonald's Town stayed in the contest and played some impressive football. After Tuesday's quite attritional clash at the Saffrons, it was rewarding to see the ball flowing through midfield and into the wide areas.

Although Steve King's squad is still a little light on numbers - and two or three very promising triallists caught the eye on Saturday – the manager has already created a team which nicely combines experience with pace and physical presence.

We will run supporters through the squad on Friday of next week, just ahead of Borough's first Isthmian Premier fixture at Aveley.

The Sports dominated the early stages, and they might well have been ahead at half-time. On the 20-minute mark, a marvellous Arthur Grout pass sent Darren McQueen away, and the scurrying striker pulled the ball back for Max Sheaf to thunder a shot that actually came back off the chest of Town keeper Ethan Pike.

With usual keeper Chris Winterton unavailable, Pike had answered a late Macdonald call to don the jersey, and he played bravely - but was helpless, a minute after half-time, to prevent Grout from giving Borough the lead, the talented young playmaker smashing his shot into the roof of the net after a slicing move by McQueen and Josh Rees.

On the hour, a spinning McQueen doubled the score after some fluent wing play, and now Borough were really motoring. Matt Hayden - nominally wearing the right-back shirt - was making hay and finding loads of space in wide areas. But Town found a second wind, rallied, and halved the deficit on 73 minutes through Alfie Rogers' floater-curler-finish.

Borough had one more ace to play: Tyano Wilson. The lightning young wide man - just 18 and the latest product from Anthony Storey's production line of talent – raced forward, took a neat pass into the area, and swerved infield to curl the sweetest of strikes with his right foot into the top corner. Wow, just wow.

A very useful work-out for both teams, then, and a summer afternoon of Samba in the sun. And sweltering supporters would be wise to capture some of that blazing sunshine into the memory bank: come November, Priory Lane will surely be the chilliest spot on the Planet.