Confident and dominant – Eastbourne Borough’s win over Cheshunt could be a warning to the division

After some promising patches in the previous games, some modest successes and one or two under-powered defeats, the manager witnessed a whole-team, 90-minute performance from his new-look Sports.

Borough were confident and dominant from taking the lead with a third-minute Kai Corbett stunner to sealing the victory through Josh Rees two minutes from time.

A delighted home crowd saw commitment, front-foot attacking and plenty of breathless moments in the goalmouths as the home side tore apart a floundering Cheshunt side.

In truth, Cheshunt were below par by Isthmian Premier standards. Without a win this season – although they had drawn five out of six – the Ambers looked cumbersome and low on confidence, and could not turn brief spells of pressure into chances.

But Borough, on this form, could beat any side in the division. We had seen glimpses when King's team really gelled - and the previous two games, against both Lewes and Whitehawk, gave strong evidence that this squad has experience and ability. Now, they are adding cohesion.

On Saturday, players were reading each other's runs, looking two passes ahead instead of one, and doing it all at pace. It was a joy to watch.

With a couple of injuries shaken off, King had virtually a full squad available - and the strategy of signing seasoned, experienced players was there for all to see.

In the engine room, a formidable Rees was running the game. Behind him, centre-backs Giles Phillips and Elliott Johnson were assured. And up front, Liam Nash was everywhere. Players of this calibre - and with this fund of experience - are players who win matches and titles.

Around them, there are equally talented players relishing the platform - and that includes Corbett. The right-footed wide man, who loves playing on the left, has mesmerising close skills and devastating pace. And on Saturday, he took three minutes to make his mark.

Nash's sweeping pass from right to left found Corbett one-on-one against a flat-footed defender, and he swerved inside to unleash a glorious curling shot from just inside the area, too strong for keeper Ravan Constable and inside the far post.

The cracker lifted the whole stadium and, crucially, the whole Borough team. The confidence was tangible, the standard set.

Cheshunt, with a stiff breeze at their backs, reeled briefly and then recovered. They were muscular and energetic, and Borough were sometimes stretched by the visitors' pace through midfield.

Ref Kane Dempster had reportedly told both managers he would look to let the game flow, and both teams appeared to get away with challenges which another referee might have pulled up. One challenge by midfielder Joe Re surprisingly escaped a yellow card.

For much of the first half Cheshunt did press Borough deep. Lewis Carey stopped one goalbound effort with his feet, and Eastbourne found themselves defending deep against long throws and corners - the latter with no fewer than five 6ft visitors crowding into Carey's goal area.

But Borough still looked the more dangerous side, with McQueen untameable on the right and Oguntayo and Grout bringing qualities to midfield.

Two minutes before half-time the lead was doubled. Persistence in the centre-circle by Rees saw the powerful midfielder release Freddie Carter down the right, and he drilled an immaculate low pass behind a back-pedalling defence, met by Nash with a smart finish for 2-0.

The second half saw Cheshunt rarely make headway. Re had escaped a first-half caution but saw yellow just before the hour and then - more contentiously - Max Sheaf was booked after he seemed to suffer a blatant obstruction.

Rees saw one strike brilliantly turned over the bar by Constable, and a cheeky 40-yarder from Corbett sailed just too high.

In the 90th minute, from a free-kick, Terrell Egbri found the head of Rees for a coup-de-grace third.

The Sports will face tougher opposition than Cheshunt - but week by week, King's men are looking more coherent and more confident.