Hemel Hempstead draw: Not pretty, but pretty encourging for Eastbourne Borough
It was not pretty – but was pretty encouraging – as Eastbourne Borough battled out a goalless draw with visitors Hemel Hempstead Town on Saturday at a windy Priory Lane.
Title ambitions? Promotion? Right now, they may seem the impossible dream, rather than a serious ambition for Matt Gray’s side. But the league table that matters is the table next April, with all 46 fixtures played. For the moment, the Sports will take all the positives they can – and a point’s a point.
And we should always – even grudgingly – give credit to the opposition. The Tudors are in the play-off places after a sound start to the season.
They play pragmatic, quite physical football and they are tough opponents. In a contest more artisan than artistry, Borough probably edged the chances but the Tudors could also have grabbed all three points – including in a frantic few minutes of stoppage time.
Ironically, Hemel’s last 12 months might just offer a template for Gray’s Borough. An awful start to the 24-25 season found them bottom of National South and incapable of winning the half-time raffle, never mind a game of football. But current manager Lee Allinson – with wise support from his dad, the highly experienced Ian Allinson – turned the club’s fortunes around.
And that Tudors side is now making an impact in the new season. Physically strong and direct, and tactically pragmatic, they took to a windswept ReachTV Stadium with confidence – and were ultimately worth their point.
Hemel’s Michael Johnson was the busier keeper early on, dealing with dangerous balls in from George Alexander and Josh Anifowose, while his defenders were also scrambling to contain the bustling figure of Jes Uchegbulam – who set up a shooting chance for Tayt Trusty, with Arthur Grout fizzing the rebound only just wide.
Even at tis early stage of the match, the Sports were already shaking off that depressive Tuesday night at Horsham, where they frankly had looked bewildered and short of attacking momentum. This was several notches better.
That man Alexander – returning from a three-week injury - also adds a different dimension to Eastbourne’s attacking. With quick, intelligent movement he can truly be a fox among the chickens: watch this space and watch that No9!
The visitors had defended stoutly in the first half, but they had made less impact going forward. A long cross from George Williams on the left flank found Millar Matthews-Lewis at the far post, but the striker’s header was too high.
As the game progressed, the Priory Lane faithful were aching for an Eastbourne goal. Arthur Grout was still probing and creating, while Pemi Aderoju saw his header well saved by Johnson in Borough’s best opening of the half.
A final flurry of pressure from the Tudors was stoutly defended: the ever-combative Camron Gbadebo denied Finley Wilkinson, before Hamza Semakula fired just wide with the last kick of the game.
So Gray’s Borough remain winless – but for character, cohesion and confidence, this game was a definite sign of progress.