Simon Leslie: A brilliant Eastbourne Borough day for first-timers – and those who have been coming decades

That’s 14 wins from 15 games, and tomorrow we head to Dartford hoping to keep this extraordinary run going.

Saturday against Ramsgate had almost everything, although for a while it looked as though the one thing missing might be a goal. It was a fantastic, exciting game, but as the clock ticked down you started to think we might have to settle for a 0-0 draw.

Shay Harrison clearly had other ideas. Two brilliant late goals later, Priory Lane was bouncing. If that was your first visit, I hope you enjoyed the finish as much as I did.

And for plenty of people, it was their first visit. Our friends at Octopus Energy gave tickets to local customers, and seeing the queues stretching out towards the street was a wonderful sight. So many new faces coming to see what their local football club is all about. Thank you to everyone at Octopus who helped make it happen. They certainly brought the energy!

Eastbourne did its bit too, with beautiful blue skies and autumn sunshine. The Octopus Energy fan zone was up, the children were playing and there were smiling faces everywhere. It was one of those afternoons when you could look around and think, yes, this is what we want football here to feel like.

There is something special about bringing someone to non-league football for the first time. You are so close to the action, you can hear the players and feel every tackle, every near miss and every decision you are convinced the referee has got wrong. Then a late goal goes in and suddenly you are celebrating with someone you had never met two hours earlier.

I really hope those who joined us for the first time will come back. Bring your friends, bring the children and make an afternoon of it. We want this to be somewhere you feel welcome, somewhere you enjoy spending time and a club you are proud to call your own.

Before kick-off, our Spirit of Football team paraded with the first trophy they had ever won. The children were absolutely delighted, and their excitement was one of the highlights of my day. Just imagine how much that moment meant to them, showing off their trophy in front of our biggest crowd of the season. A huge congratulations to everyone involved.

We spend plenty of time talking about results, league positions and what happens next, but seeing those happy faces reminds you how much a football club can mean to people. It was lovely to see them getting their moment and enjoying every second.

Then came Tuesday night, and Eastbourne’s blue skies had given way to wind and rain. A very different evening against Stanway Rovers, but the winning continued with a single-goal victory. Sometimes you get sunshine and spectacular late drama; on other occasions you have to dig in and get the job done. The boys found a way again.

Thank you to everyone who braved the weather to cheer them on. Fourteen wins from 15 games is some going, and the players and staff deserve enormous credit for putting that run together. We remain third in the league, with plenty of football still to play and plenty to look forward to.

Tomorrow we head to sunny Dartford - hopefully the weather will take the hint - looking to make it 15 wins from 16. Our away support has been terrific, and I know the boys will hear you again.

To everyone who came on Saturday, whether you have been coming for decades or were finding your way to Priory Lane for the very first time, thank you. I hope we will see you again soon. Shay cannot promise two late goals every week, but he has certainly given you a reason to come back.