Final home game has familiar sad ending for Eastbourne Borough

The afternoon provided plenty of action and enjoyment for the 800 spectators - for a game with nothing riding on it, the action was lively and the contest was tight from start to finish.

This was the 15th National South game this season in which the Sports have dropped points from winning positions - most of them late in the game. If only they had learned how to hang in and defend a lead, they would not now be starting next season in the Isthmian Premier.

Steve King arrived at the Lane too late to halt the downward slide, but he must be learning all the time about his inherited squad, and assessing how he wants to rebuild. One or two of his signings are clearly staking a claim for a place in the 26-27 squad; others may not have done enough.

Here is the action expertly summed up by Borough media man Ollie Stidder…

A close-range finish from Adam May and a free-kick from Kai Corbett put Borough in the driving seat going into half-time, but an immediate response from Christie Ward alongside a second-half double from Ashley Clarke meant it ended 3-2 to the visitors.

Steve King made three changes with Jack Jebb, Arthur Grout and Corbett all coming back into the side.

The Sports fashioned the first opportunity early on. Corbett’s corner met the head of skipper Harry Phipps, but he could only divert his attempt wide from eight yards.

Lee Angol had a chance to fire Borough in front. A long ball over the Totton defence put the forward in a foot race with Stags goalkeeper Ryan Gosney. Angol managed to sneak ahead of him, but couldn’t fashion an angle with the goal gaping, and the chance fizzled out.

The visitors had their first sight on 16 minutes when a low corner made its way through the box before landing at the feet of Tyler Cordner, whose turn and shot tested Alex Hobden, but the young shot-stopper held at the second time of asking.

Borough carried on their bright start – neat football from Grout, May and Tayt Trusty saw the latter break into the box. His effort was superbly blocked by a Totton defender before he looked to latch on to the rebound, but was halted.

The home support sensed a the goal was coming, and on 26 minutes it did. Another Corbett corner bounced through to May, who made no mistake by firing into the roof of the net.

A few moments later more fluid football led to Dan Quick pulling the back to Grout 12 yards out. He saw his effort well saved by the legs of Gosney but the ball rebounded back to Corbett, who jinked past a defender, who appeared to handle the ball on the floor, yet the referee hesitated before waving play on.

Corbett did get his goal six minutes before the break. After testing Gosney with a couple of free-kicks, he managed to pick out the bottom corner from a good 25 yards.

Totton came alive and managed to reduce the deficit against the run of play. A square pass found Ward outside the area, and his effort found the bottom corner to give the visitors belief.

The Stags started the second half the better side, although took until the hour to fashion their first real chance of note. A lofted pass from substitute Declan Rose picked out Ashley Clarke, who took the ball in his stride before firing across goal from a tight angle, but his effort was beaten away by Hobden.

Two minutes later, the scoreline looked level, but then wasn’t... in bizarre circumstances. The ball appeared to go out of play in front of the dugouts but the linesman didn’t flag – owing to watching for offside – and Malachi Linton squared to Clarke who fired home. However, after the referee spoke to the fourth official, a throw-in was awarded and the goal chalked off.

Clarke was not to be denied and levelled shortly after the resumption. A couple of ricochets and deflections sent him on his way to the byline, and from the tightest of angles, he beat Hobden at his near post.

In the 71st minute a cross from the right was flicked by Corbett on to May, and his first time effort whistled narrowly wide.

With six minutes to go, Angol had a glorious chance to head Borough ahead again but could only divert his header straight at Gosney before Totton countered giving Clarke a chance to net his second, but he blazed his effort over.

Totton completed the comeback with Clarke getting on the scoresheet once more. His effort from distance deceived Hobden and dipped in under the crossbar to all but win the game.