Eastbourne Borough eye double cup glory – Boreham Wood and Bognor stand in way

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Who in sport doesn’t love a cup run – or better still, a cup final? Eastbourne Borough have two trophies in their sights over the next few days.

In wet, cold and dark December, Borough supporters may just like to paint themselves a brighter vision of a triumphant climax to the 2024-25 season – in the Isuzu FA Trophy final and the Sussex Transport Senior Cup final. And by this Tuesday evening, the dreams will be either a little nearer – or dashed.

Tomorrow (Saturday) the Sports head to North London for a tough Trophy showdown with Boreham Wood: the third meeting of the clubs in three different competitions this season. And on Tuesday evening, Bognor Regis Town are the visitors to the Lane in the last eight of the Senior Cup.

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Borough enter the weekend after two slightly underwhelming results on the road. They played pretty well in a 3-1 defeat at Maidstone, falling to two wonder strikes from the home side, as well as a Stones steal of an opener, when Eastbourne lost possession “playing out” from the back.

Pink-shirted Borough in action at Chesham | Picture: Lydia RedmanPink-shirted Borough in action at Chesham | Picture: Lydia Redman
Pink-shirted Borough in action at Chesham | Picture: Lydia Redman

And last Saturday saw them return from Chesham United with a point from a goalless draw (see Lydia and Nick Redman’s pictures here), which left boss Adam Murray philosophical. “When you come to this place, you have to stand up and be counted. We’ve seen other clubs come to Chesham and get bullied. But I have respect for them.

“Chesham brilliantly manage the game, the time, even the referee! I will take the point. If you win your home games and don’t lose your away games, you get promoted – it’s that simple. I was chuffed with the endeavour: we did all the scrappy bits, and we had chances to win it. A point on the board, and we move on!”

Frankly, Murray could have hoped for an easier Trophy tie. In the toughest draw of the FA Cup in September, his Borough side were tipped out of the FA Cup by the tightest of margins, 0-1, by the Wood.

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The North Londoners, freshly relegated from the National League, had made a sluggish start to the new season, but a change of manager – on the day before the game – had brought club favourite Luke Garrard back to Meadow Park. And that little boost may have tipped the balance.

A month later, the two sides met again in a National South thriller and could not be separated – the 1-1 result fairly reflecting the action. Now, the Sports sit two points and two places above the Wood in the league table. Murray’s men reached this last-64 stage of the Trophy with a notable victory at Dorking Wanderers in the previous round.

The Wands had led that contest by a single goal until the 88th minute – when gentle giant Moussa Diarra, a late substitute, headed an equaliser, and Borough then won the penalty shoot-out by 4-2.

Murray would no doubt be happy with an equally tight game at Meadow Park. And that, of course, could see the Sports into the last 32 – and a step closer to a certain Wembley Stadium, just a few miles across London from Boreham Wood, in May.

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A more modest ambition – the Senior Cup final – is only two matches away, and the first of those sees Borough entertain Bognor Regis Town on Tuesday. The Rocks are on the rocks at present – bottom of the Isthmian Premier after a 7-1 home defeat last Saturday to Chatham Town, which saw the departure of manager Robbie Blake. Oh, and the single goal was notched by Borough striker Siya Ligendza, on loan at Nyewood Lane.

Alongside Albion Under-21s, the Sports and Worthing are the highest ranked clubs in the last eight, and a May date for an Amex final would round off the season very nicely. Assuming, of course, that they have won the National South title outright by then, without the need for play-offs.

Where would we sports addicts be without our dreams...?

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