Eastbourne Borough progressed to the next round of the Sussex Transport Senior Cup as three goals in the last 15 minutes proved enough to overcome Little Common under the Connect Management Stadium lights.

Despite the Sports being guilty of missing plenty of chances, Harry Phipps, Shay Harrison and Gold Omotayo scored to make it a sixth consecutive win across all competitions for Steve King’s side.

King decided to heavily rotate, with Max Sheaf the only player to keep his spot in the XI after Saturday’s win over Welwyn Garden City. Among the starters were two debutants, Jack West-Astuti and Nathan Laleye, and there were returns for Craig Eastmond and Elliot Johnson, both back from injury,

The home side looked to dominate from the start, with Owen Bellamy looking bright. He burst down the right wing to create the first opening and crossed low to Harrison, but the striker couldn’t adjust in time to get an early lead.

Borough look for a breakthrough against Little Common | Lydia Redman

placeholder image — Borough look for a breakthrough against Little Common | Lydia Redman

Little Common keeper Fletcher Chapman was called into action for the first time. Bellamy, the dangerman again, threaded a pass through to Jack Stone on the right side of the area, but he couldn’t beat the visitors’ number one.

Terrell Egbri was the next to test Chapman – as space opened up, he released a fierce strike that looked to be sailing in at the near post, only for Chapman to produce a fine save to push it wide.

The Sports were racking up corners and free-kicks but couldn’t make use of them. Johnson had probably the best chance of the half, as he met Eastmond’s free-kick eight yards from goal, but he could only head wide.

It took until the last five minutes of the half for the visitors to register an attempt on goal. Freddie Warren on the left looked to fire into the far corner, but debutant West-Astuti was alert to parry away from danger.

Steve King rotated his squad for the Common cup tie and saw them win 3-0 | Lydia Redman

Warren, minutes later, danced past a couple of defenders, but he fired over from the edge of the area, meaning it remained goalless at the break.

There was a hunger about Borough to get that first goal, but they couldn’t find the breakthrough early in the second half. Tyano Wilson and Egbr created opportunities for Stone and Harrison up top, but these couldn’t be converted.

Harrison really wanted that goal on his full debut, and thought he might have had it, but Harvey Mapstone recovered to make a superb block from six yards out, before the forward had penalty appeals waved away for a nudge in the back.

However, in the 76th minute, the deadlock was broken. Egbri continued to put in sweet corners, and one from the right met the head of Phipps, who glanced the ball into the far corner to grab his first of the season and give the home side some breathing room.

Once the first goal went in, it relieved some pressure, and the Sports made it 2-0 within a matter of minutes. The impressive Wilson slipped a ball into the path of Harrison on the left of the area, and he made no mistake in finding the far corner to grab his first for the club and all but seal Borough’s spot in the next round.

The goals didn’t stop there. With his first touch after coming on, Omotayo was in the right position to tap home for three. Bellamy was unfortunate as his mazy run down the left ended with a shot clattering the post, but luckily the rebound felt straight to the feet of Borough’s number nine, who capped off a successful display.