Back on track: Eastbourne Borough resumed normal service with a midweek victory – after the relative rarity of a defeat last Saturday at Dartford. And now their attentions switch from league to two cup ties.

On Tuesday night, the Sports swept away visitors Dulwich Hamlet 4-2 - and so moved swiftly on, after themselves conceding four goals on Saturday. So what went wrong at Dartford?

Boss Steve King addressed that: "That was the worst that we've played under me. We were all over the place defensively. There were individual mistakes and collective errors.

"We had our moments, had our chances - we hit the crossbar, hit the post. Josh Rees is about to score at the back post and he's having the shirt pulled off his back.

Dartford were too strong for Eastbourne Borough last Saturday | Picture by Lydia Redman

placeholder image — Dartford were too strong for Eastbourne Borough last Saturday | Picture by Lydia Redman

"But all in all, that first half performance was unacceptable. We chopped and changed a few things for the second half, but Dartford took their foot off the gas. You cannot concede four goals in a half of football."

Borough supporters - and many observers further afield - have frankly been raising their expectations week by week, as King's team chalked up the victories. But his post-match verdict was right on the money.

Firstly, Borough's defensive resources were stretched beyond the limit. And secondly, their errors were ruthlessly punished by an in-form Dartford. "There hasn't been another opponent that we've played who were as clinical as that.

"But listen, we've been on a heck of a run, fourteen wins out of fifteen. I said a few words, but nothing too strong. Pick yourselves up, and we go again!"

Steve King seems to want to know what's going wrong at Dartford - but he was delighted by how they counced back v Dulwich | Picture by Lydia Redman

And go again they did: on a bleak Tuesday night, the Sports blew away visitors Dulwich Hamlet 4-2. With a relentless fixture schedule, King and his staff must manage resources.

At Dartford he had to field a centre-back pairing of full-back Elliott Johnson and the freshly returning Harry Phipps. And when Matthew Hayden - arguably the find of the season - chose the Dartford trip to have an off-day, the writing was on the dressing-room wall.

But with that game out of their systems, another three league points were in the kitty after Tuesday's victory.

King said of the Hamlet win: "At times we were very good. DIsappointed with the first Dulwich goal - it's a good finish but he's got in between our defenders. But then a good recovery from that with two excellent goals, from Josh (Rees) and Macca (Darren McQueen).

"At 3-1 I felt comfortable, but then we should have gone on to score more. Five, six, seven with the chances we were missing. At that point I actually said to Ryan (Northmore, assistant manager) - they're going to score again! And then it's going to be game on again!

"We were just woeful in our finishing! So that little period of the game wasn't great - and we've given Dulwich a leg up. But then Nashy Liam Nash) has scored and it's great to have him back!

"So it could have been much more comfortable. But when you lose a game (at Dartford) the question is - can you recover? And we have done that, and it's another win under the belt.

"The conditions were tough again with the wind and the rain - but it's another three points, and that's all you ever get for a victory. It's the most important thing. If you can get three points and play really well, that's even better. But the points are the first requirement.

"It was actually a tough night, because we've got some illness in the camp. And through the day we weren't quite sure who was ill and who had recovered, and who was fit and who was still injured.

"We were just counting the bodies. Gold (Omotayo) was ill and Terrell (Egbri) was ill. Elliott (Johnson) had a shoulder that swelled up. Fortunately we've had a good bench and so they all played their part. But it was a challenging day, with a lot of permutations!

Now Borough can turn their attention to a different competition - or two, in fact.

Tomorrow (Saturday) Chertsey Town visit the Connect Management Stadium in the FA Trophy. The Curfews play in the Southern League Premier South.

This Borough squad is full of seasoned professionals, and - in contrast to recent seasons - completely free of would-be superstars. They work hard, they know the system, and - most of all - they have brought a little bit of joy back. There is a cheerful connection with Borough's ever so slightly barmy army of supporters - who sang their hearts out, even in defeat, at Dartford.

King said: "Now we turn to Saturday, and Chertsey in the Trophy. Chertsey Town are a good side - they've beaten some strong opposition this season, and they've won again in midweek. So I'm expecting a very tough game.

"It's the Trophy of course, and a break from the league, which is actually welcome. And then another cup game next Tuesday (Littlehampton in the Sussex Senior Cup). So they are coming thick and fast - we will have had six weeks of Saturday-Tuesday-Saturday. I'm hoping by Saturday week to have players back and to be closer to a full squad - when we make the trip to Enfield for a really important league game!"

As King said, Tuesday sees yet another home fixture, the Sports welcoming Littlehampton Town in the Senior Cup.

Two seasons ago, the Marigolds muscled Borough out of a Senior Cup semi-final at Lancing. Revenge? Not exactly, but a chance to set the record straight, and score a few more goals. It's never goalless at the Lane.