Eastbourne Borough’s survival hopes take a hit at Weston

Tommy Widdrington's Sports will certainly not give up the battle for National South survival, but the arithmetic is starting to stack up against them. Ahead of Tuesday's equally tough trip to Chesham United, just 14 games remain, and they will need eight wins and a couple of draws to reach a credible 50 points - the sort of total which would winch them clear of the bottom four.

In fairness, there are too many permutations and scenarios between now and April 25. Almost half of the division could have reason to be anxious - and together with a dramatic Eastbourne revival, a free-fall tumble by a Bath City, a Hampton or a Salisbury could still give Borough an escape route. Less like football, more like white-water rafting.

In North Somerset: several dozen diehard supporters had made the 350-mile return trip across England, and their mood would turn from fiery optimism to empty despair in the course of 90 minutes. Despite an early lead, the Sports struggled with the physicality of the home side - and they donated two ludicrous goals to Weston's cause.

Borough nearly drew first blood two minutes in, Adam May playing in Kai Corbett for a fizzing shot which home keeper Max Harris saved at the price of a corner. But the Seagulls soon began a series of swooping raids on Woody Williamson's goal - the young keeper producing at least two excellent saves.

On 15 minutes, Eastbourne were ahead with the best goal of the afternoon. A planned and rehearsed move saw Archy Taylor and Matt Burgess combine smartly to get behind the left of the home defence, and from the pull-back May arrowed a perfect low shot inside the post.

The home PA failed to announce either score or scorer. Polite enquiries by the Herald established this was no accident, but a conscious policy decision by the home club's media team. Spirit of non-league? Perhaps Weston might reconsider.

The travelling Reds behind the open sea-end goal were probably not too bothered: their team had the rarity of a precious early lead. Six minutes later, it might have been doubled, when Weston skipper Emlyn Lewis pulled back George Alexander as the Borough striker looked to race clear from halfway.

The caution for Lewis was to be the first of six yellow cards incurred by the home side - who also racked up 25 fouls during the match (to Borough's respective tally of seven fouls and no cautions.

Eastbourne were managing the game sensibly - until a 30th minute calamity. Williamson came out to collect a bouncing ball - but centre-back Lachlan Byrd headed the ball back and over his keeper. In raced a gleeful and slightly disbelieving home striker Will Dawes to poke in an equaliser.

Cue a 15-minute spell of high-powered attacks by the home side. Williamson pulled off one astonishing save from Spokes, and as the ball pinged back from the bar, an offside flag denied Louis Britton's follow-up.

At 1-1, the boss would have been happy to get his young team in for a message of encouragement. But five long minutes of stoppage time found the Sports' youthful defence in a tangle, and - with five red shirts in the penalty area, Charlie Cummins hooked in the loose ball to give the Seagulls a 2-1 lead.

If that strike was maddening, the opening of the second half was catastrophic. Straight from kick-off, Weston scythed through the right channel and Luke Coulson drove into the box, striking a low goalbound shot which Byrd, off balance, sliced into his own net. 3-1 - and that was that.

Byrd, substituted shortly afterwards, is a gifted, loyal and dedicated young professional with, no doubt, a long career ahead of him, He will know that the strong performances will always outnumber the errors. You are as good as your next game, not your last game.

The Sports battled on, with a clutch of substitutions, but a featureless second half ground its way towards the inevitable result. Referee Jason Porter flourished his yellow card a few more times but the Seagulls were unflappable.

So an afternoon which had begun brightly, and with prospects of priceless points towards the survival cause, petered out. Weston climbed to sixth; Eastbourne slipped to second bottom - thanks to Chippenham's 94th minute winner against Maidstone.

Widdrington will never throw in a towel but he needs to get injured players back as the unforgiving fixture list rolls on. And he needs his squad to conjure a couple of victories, even barely deserved ones - instead of losing games they could and should have won.