Late drama is icing on cake as Eastbourne Borough and Ramsgate serve up non-league classic

For 89 minutes, a huge Priory Lane crowd had enjoyed high-paced action, goalmouth incidents with both sides seeking every which way to gain that crucial breakthrough: the two teams had matched each other stride for stride, tackle for tackle, shot for shot. Borough had edged it, but could not quite make the pressure pay.

A share of the points would not have been unfair: the Rams are an experienced outfit, welded into a tight unit by experienced manager Adie Pinnock, and their recent form has matched Borough's. As home supporters are realising, there are no easy rides in this competitive Isthmian League.

The home side made an eager, front-foot start, with Darren McQueen swerving infield from the right to test Rams keep Jonathan Henly, who saved at full stretch for a Borough corner. The two successive flag-kicks from Kai Corbett were flimsily dealt with by the visitors, but their goal stayed intact.

Corbett has been a notable success story this season: the slumped shoulders of last season are replaced by a spring in the step, and he has the pace, control and strike power to cause havoc in Isthmian defences. Sent away down the left touchline, he turned two defenders inside out before cutting in and hitting a low shot which Henley managed to smother.

The action switched to the River End, where Ramsgate attack had Borough scrambling, but the final strike on Lewis Carey's goal skidded wide of the left post. It was a useful signal, though, that the Rams - and their noisily cheerful supporters - were not here just for a day out.

The first half continued with Borough dominating possession and using it swiftly and creatively, but meeting stubborn defensive resistance from the Rams. Both sets of supporters were in full voice and loving it: a proper non-league occasion in sharp autumn sunshine.

The dressing-room refreshment and managerial pep-talks had sent Borough out with renewed energy for the second half, and they stormed forward for several minutes' worth of relentless attacks. The Rams simply could not get the ball.

From a 35-yard free-kick, headed down in front of goal, Josh Rees was denied by keeper Henley's brave reflex save. Then an audacious overlap by the outstanding Matt Hayden was cleared, and as we passed the hour mark, the Rams' tactics were turning towards holding out for the draw.

That final half-hour was absorbing: a contest of nerves, of concentration, of inventive attacks and defiant resistance.

But this Eastbourne squad do not settle for a draw, and neither do the management team. There was renewed energy from the substitutes - including Shay Harrison.

And with the big red clock showing 89 minutes, Harrison made his mark: latching on to a perfect pass from Sam Oguntayo, he turned on the edge of the box, took a swerving touch forward, and drilled his shot low into the bottom left corner of the Rams' net for 1-0.

Despair for the visitors, tension released and joy unleashed for the home team. Into stoppage time, Harrison went one better: catching Henley stranded, he contrived an outrageous upper-and-downer over the 6ft goalkeeper to double the score. You will not see many better goals this season, in the Isthmian League or the Premier League.

"I can't believe what I'm seeing!" yelled Eastbourne's admirable new young commentator, Bobbie Randall. You'd better believe it, Bobbie: this Borough team is on a journey, and it is bringing back the fun, the entertainment and the habit of winning football matches.