Match in 51 pictures: Nine-man Eastbourne Borough crash to home defeat against Maidstone United

They battled superbly against promotion-hunting FA Cup heroes Maidstone – but two red cards all but ruined any hope they had of getting anything from the game.

The Sports were one down when Sam Beard was sent off on 26 minutes for what the Borough Twitter account said were ‘two very, very soft bookings’. The ten man battled to pull level through Pierce Bird.

But early in the second half, with the score still 1-1, Bird himself was sent off – leaving nine men against 11. Maidstone scored once more but it was only 2-1 with five minutes – then the two-man difference really told as Lamar Reynolds scored a nine-minute hat-trick, including one from the spot, to make the final score 5-1.

Adam Murray’s men will need to pick themselves up quickly – they go to Dartford on Monday for a genuine relegation six-pointer. Borough are two points below the safety line – and Dartford are in the last safe spot in the table.

See pictures by Lydia and Nick Redman from the Borough-Maidstone game on this page and the ones linked.