Encouraging signs – but an all-too-familiar outcome for Eastbourne Borough at Hornchurch

There are games that slip from your grasp which you clearly should have won, and there are defeats so feeble you want to wipe them swiftly from the collective memory. This reverse at Hornchurch was somewhere between the two – disappointing, but with some encouraging signs.

The home side have been among the National South pace-setters since early season: no surprise to those observers who had noted their impressive 2024-25 record under the intelligent managership of Daryl McMahon.

This term, he has added physical strength to the spine of the Urchins team and they play to their strengths. Forceful, direct and never inclined to stand off and admire any purist skills from their opponents.

So it was on Saturday: Borough played with conviction and belief, and they were always in the match. Where they fell short was – as so often – in finishing clinically, and at the other end, in conceding two goals through poor concentration. A superb display of goalkeeping by the Urchins’ Arthur Nasta – on loan from Wolves – was also crucial.

In a match high on goalmouth action, the Sports had an equal share of the early attacks.

Tommy Widdrington had started with all three of last Friday’s new signings: Lachlan Bird, Will Armitage and Omotayo Gold. All three played with credit, and Gold’s arrival in the central striking role gave Borough the extra option of tweaking the George Alexander role.

Instead of battling vainly as a spearhead striker, he could play a fraction deeper, seeking out the pockets and eluding his markers. And everything about his body language and sharpness proved the point.

Widdrington had sent his lads out to take the game to Hornchurch from the start, to attack with pace and width and directness. A home corner was cleared, but then a 35-yard Hornchurch free-kick was not well dealt with, but the second strike was wide. Borough responded with a lightning move and an Alexander cross from the left – cleared – before Woody Williamson saved a low Urchins shot.

The Sports were playing a full part in the flowing action, and on 12 minutes a strike was cleared off the Hornchurch line before Gold steered a header just too high.

But the first goal was claimed by Hornchurch. A turnover of possession and quick work on the right flank gave the home forwards a 2 v 1, and the ball across the Borough goalmouth was bashed home by Angelo Balanta from beyond the back post.

Then the Urchins survived a credible penalty appeal as Eastbourne continued to enjoy the better of the play. The next goal would be crucial – and it fell to the Urchins, that man Balanta slamming in triumphantly in a penalty area melee, after a brave parry by Williamson.

Two-nil was tough on the Sports, but also ominous. Widdrington’s team have never been consistent scorers – apart from in those big mid-winter victories at Dover and Tonbridge. But Hornchurch were a tougher outfit.

Even so, Borough came out for the second half with renewed energy and invention. Widdrington tweaked the shape slightly, introducing Josh Anifowose for holding midfielder Harvey Lintott, and there was a definite nervousness rippling through the home crowd as Eastbourne dominated ball and territory.

Craig Eastmond curled a 25-yarder against the bar, and two further strikes were off target. Hornchurch were clinging on.

Second in the table against second-bottom? You’d never have known it. But that table tells a story of points thrown away by Borough left, right and centre in the first half of the season.

Just like two seasons ago, when Adam Murray pulled off a great escape with 48 hours to spare, this National South survival battle could well go down to the wire.