Defeats don’t tell full story as Darts and Shots are fired at Eastbourne Borough
Part-way there. The re-shaping of Eastbourne Borough’s squad continued with two games in four days – and a search for goals.
The Sports had begun their pre-season programme the previous weekend with a 3-1 reverse at a baking hot Farnham Town. It was little more than a training exercise, but you have to start somewhere.
Last Saturday, the Sports’ new management duo of Matt Gray and assistant Jason Goodliffe took a squad of two dozen to Dartford, losing an even game 1-0, to a wonder goal by Darts’ veteran midfielder Sami Carruthers. And on Tuesday night, a 600-strong crowd saw Borough lose 3-0 to Aldershot Town.
Borough supporters have been braced for change following the club’s nerve-wrecking play-off adventures in April. And Gray and Goodliffe – with CEO Alan Williams – are welding a complete new squad. Judge them in October, not in August.
Both this week’s games gave evidence of work in progress.
Dartford had come desperately close to promotion back to National South, finishing just behind Isthmian Premier champions Horsham, then losing a tight play-off final to Dover Athletic. On Saturday, Borough opened at a frighteningly fast pace, with strikers Pemi Aderoju and Victor Akinwale combining well, and Joey Phuti burning up the turf on the right.
But on 15 minutes the Darts opened the scoring with an astonishing Carruthers strike, a missile of an angled volley across keeper Jamie Searle and into the top corner.
Eastbourne’s shape looked sound and combination play looked promising, but clear chances were few, and they reached half-time 1-0 down. And – with a complete new XI sitting behind the dug-outs changed and ready for action – we knew what to expect in the second half….
Substitutions came and went, and the objective of “minutes under the belt” was certainly achieved. And after a sluggish third quarter of the game, things livened up suddenly in the final phase.
Gray had, by this stage, used almost all of his substitutes including six aged 16 or 17. And one young man caught the eye: Jamie Searle handed over the goalkeeping gloves to a young substitute who – by unbreakable convention – can be named only as Trialist!
Within minutes the youthful custodian had brilliantly saved an Eddie Dsane penalty, and then pushed away at full stretch a torpedo of a shot from midfielder Ollie Box.
A genuinely useful work-out then, for Gray’s “double squad” – who then had to brace themselves for a sterner challenge. On Tuesday night, the Sports welcomed Tommy Widdrington’s formidable Aldershot Town.
The Widdrington Years were a special chapter in the history of Eastbourne Borough FC. Taking over after Garry Wilson stepped down in 2013, he steered the club with wisdom, canny management of budgets and expert management of players and playing squads. And always with a sense of wry good humour. He left for a post at Coventry City.
Widdrington and the Shots have become a footballing marriage. Midway through last season, he suffered a stroke – something that would have floored lesser men. But the manager’s rapid recovery was followed by the Shots’ historic FA Trophy campaign, and an extra-time victory over Surrey rivals Woking at Wembley.
Tommy was looking in great shape on Tuesday night. Son Theo – who as a 14-year-old used to join in Borough’s first-team training – is now a commanding skipper in the Shots’ midfield, and the visitors did look impressive.
Borough concded a needless fourth-minute free-kick two yards outside the area, which the visitors turned into a 1-0 lead. For the next 20 minutes, though, the Sports looked quick, adventurous and confident.
Kai Innocent was igniting one attack after another on the left, combining well with Jayden Davis, and Borough were starting to show what we can expect as all the newcomers bed in. But just before the half-hour, Aldershot carved open the right side of the defence for Tyler Frost to reach Max Mullins to head in at the back post.
On 66 minutes the visitors added another goal, a wriggling left-wing move and a low cross popped in at the back post for 3-0.
The last quarter saw multiple substitutions – including a certain trialist goalkeeper, who saved Tristan Abrahams’ penalty.
Borough ended just a little deflated but far from devastated. Three weeks and three friendlies still to go, and the Gray and Goodliffe project is not far off schedule.