Eight days to define a season? Well, we are not even out of August yet, and the coming week may not be quite as critical as that - but Eastbourne Borough have three huge fixtures which, at very least, will show the direction of travel.

Tomorrow (Saturday) Steve King's Sports welcome Leatherhead - the Isthmian Premier's early leaders - to Priory Lane. And on Bank Holiday Monday, with precious little time to turn around, nurse aching limbs and assess injuries, Borough make their shortest away trip of the season - to take on Lewes FC at the Dripping Pan.

If - a huge if - the King's Men can claim six points, they will have made a huge statement to the rest of the league. And with that sort of momentum, King will lead a confident Borough squad only a few miles further - to face Whitehawk in the FA Cup on Saturday week (5th September).

Last Saturday, Borough returned from South-East London after a chastening and slightly surprising 2-1 defeat at Cray Wanderers. On a baking hot day, King's players rarely found their rhythm or cohesion, against tough opponents who pushed their physicality to the very limits of fair play.

Plots are made by the Borough bosses during the clash with Cray Wanderers | Lydia Redman

placeholder image — Plots are made by the Borough bosses during the clash with Cray Wanderers | Lydia Redman

King said after the game: "I thought we were poor. Another mistake for the first goal - similar to our previous match. Then we huffed and puffed, should have had a first-half penalty - a cross, the geezer's on the floor and has handled it. So yes, poor from us but the officiating is also poor.

"Then I got booked, and so I had to sit down and be sure to shut up or they send me off! I won't repeat what was said to me! In the match we deserved nothing and we got nothing, so fair play to Cray.

"The free-kick for their second goal wasn't a free-kick. But we still need to say, you have to earn the right to play, and I don't think we earned the right. Cray were all over us physically, and there was a lot going on out there that - in my opinion - the referee has simply let go.

"There were constant fouls including repeatedly on Terrell (Egbri, Borough's in-form danger man). It was just happening the whole game.

"But I don't want to make excuses. We didn't deserve to get something from that game. Fair play to Cray Wanderers - they've done a number on us and they'll enjoy their win. But it's only three points. Sometimes you learn more from defeats than from a victory.

"Don't get me wrong - we had chances. Some very good passages of play in the second half, and at least one of those chances Nashy (Liam Nash) should score. Sometimes out of defeats come good lessons - and one of the lessons from this match is that teams are going to play that way against us, and physically dominate us, and we need to deal with that.

"The fans were brilliant, as they have been since I walked in through the door. There must have two hundred of us. They know there will be ups and downs, you win one, you lose one - but we need to learn from this and be sure that we win more than we lose!"

The Sports have the pedigree and skill and, crucially, the experience to regroup and regain that early-season form. Leatherhead - the Tanners - also slipped up last Saturday and will not relish a visit to King's regenerated Connect Management Stadium. Borough's previous two home games have produced ten goals - six of those in the opposition net! - and the Lane is beginning to rediscover the smiles and the appetite for success, so sadly missing last season.

Monday's derby will see about 800 Borough supporters heading across the A27 to a segregated Dripping Pan - and the memories will flood back. Steve King began his managerial career there, a quarter of a century ago, taking the Rooks up through the divisions - until that compelling gladiatorial season of 2007, when Lewes went head to head with Garry Wilson's Borough.

Rivals, not enemies - and a wonderful chance for two fine non-league clubs to make a statement. But Steve King will happily leave the sentiment and the nostalgia to the supporters - if his team claims the points.

Did we say three games? For the third, we must wait a further few days - and the Herald will preview it properly next week. Last Monday's draw for the first qualifying round of the Emirates FA Cup has handed Eastbourne Borough another short away trip - to Whitehawk FC at the Enclosed Ground.

It was there, under King's management, that the Hawks came within one stoppage-time minute of a trip to Everton in the third round proper of the FA Cup. And on Saturday 5th September, he returns with Borough.

Three out of three? Rule nothing out.