Eastbourne Borough boss warns players ahead of struggling Hungerford Town’s visit

“Bottom of the table? That doesn’t mean a thing. If anything, it’s a dangerous notion to get into our heads. You can call it a cliché but it’s a simple truth – there is so much still to play for. When we get to 3.00pm on 29th April – our final fixture at home to Concord Rangers – eleven of the 24 league clubs will be 90 minutes from triumph or disaster. One will have claimed the title. Six more will be into the play-offs. Four will be relegated. That’s almost exactly half of the division, and the other thirteen will probably have been sweating!

Eastbourne Borough v Worthing in 34 photos by Lydia and Nick Redman.

“People always want to judge the season when it’s only half over. A few weeks ago the smart money was on Ebbsfleet United for the top spot – but two or three defeats, and the race is back open. Just outside the play-off places, there are six points covering nine clubs. It goes on – and the battle goes on.”

Danny agrees that his team have fallen a little bit short over Christmas. Since a stunning 2-0 victory at Ebbsfleet on December 13th, the Sports have won just one of their last five games, and goals have been at a premium. With spearhead Jake Hutchinson recalled by parent club Colchester United, Bloor is still on the look-out for a front man, but it must be the right man.

“I’m looking hard and getting quite close to bringing someone in. But we are light on bodies, not just goals. We have lost Alex Wynter from the back line, James Vaughan from midfield, Chris Whelpdale who is the best playmaker in our division. And halfway through the Worthing game, we lose Brad Barry with a hamstring. That’s the spine of a team.”

And how about Hungerford Town, who arrive at the SO Legal Community Stadium on Saturday (3.00pm) as the National South’s tail-enders and lowest scorers – just four league victories and eighteen goals all season. “Don’t be deceived. We know Hungerford’s strengths and we will need to be right on our own game. They are enjoying a terrific run in the FA Trophy and they claimed a superb victory over Tamworth last Saturday to progress to the last sixteen.”

Danny will need no reminding that one of the Crusaders’ four league wins was bagged in August over Borough, in a forgettable contest at the genial Berkshire club’s higgledy Bulpit Lane ground. Home support at Priory Lane has held up well, with over 1400 attending the derby with Worthing, but the faithful have had their faith tested this season. The Sports have actually recorded more home defeats than victories – seven to six – and a winning performance on Saturday would do much to cheer up a rather bleak midwinter.

Meanwhile the next generation of Borough’s young bloods can expect to pull on a first team shirt on Tuesday (24th), when Bloor takes a mixed squad of youth and experience over to West Sussex to take on Bognor Regis Town – a Sussex Senior Cup fixture which fell victim to torrentially wet weather last week. The likes of full-back Sam Bull, creator Hayden Beaconsfield, striker Fletcher Holman – who earned fifteen minutes of action against Worthing – and keeper Fin Holter are beginning to look like quite a golden generation. When that 29th April date does arrive, the club might well be inside the play-off places; but there is still plenty to play for.