Southampton, AFC Wimbledon and Crystal Palace youngsters show huge promise for Eastbourne Borough

Bloor had fielded a mix of first-teamers and youngsters – but more of the latter – and they came unstuck against the triumphant Rocks, whose six of the best goals had supporters and reporters reaching for the record books.

The last Priory Lane visitors to put six goals past the Sports were Stevenage, over a decade ago in the old Blue Square Premier. Bognor, on the night, looked simply a smooth, fluent football machine, and they rightly took the credit – especially after Milly Scarlett’s nine-second opening goal which startled everyone in the ground.

29 pictures from Dulwich 1 Borough 3.

Borough, in fairness, had the better of the opening twenty minutes. Newly signed from Southampton Football Club, Luke Pearce looked really promising as he tore up the Rocks’ defence – and on another night Pearce and his new team-mates would have had the result wrapped up.

Pearce represents a remarkable coup by the Borough manager. The 18-year-old Southampton striker has already notched 11 appearances in the Saints’ Premier League 2 side – the competition set up by the top-flight clubs specifically to groom young players for the bigger stage. Luke has phenomenal pace and plenty of physique, and in the first half-hour against Bognor his inch-perfect runs through the opposition back line deserved a couple of goals.

But from Sam De St Croix’s equaliser on 23 minutes, the home side began to look more vulnerable. And by just after half-time, injuries had robbed them of the only three established first-teamers in the Borough line-up.

With Saturday's visit of Taunton Town looming, Bloor really doesn’t do downbeat.

“Very much a learning curve. We finished with virtually a youth team on the pitch, after losing three first-teamers to injuries. But we served up some good stuff initially, and we learned a lot about some of our younger players, and it gave them useful experience.”

And while a Senior Cup run – with the possibility of an Amex final – is always exciting, the National South is the true proving ground. Three months from now, if the Sports are closing in on a play-off place, that frosty night in January will be history.

Perhaps that last line should read when, and not if. For in total there are three high-quality loan signings have suddenly given the squad an extra dimension, and a little bit of strength in depth.

In addition to Southampton hitman Pearce, Alfie Bendle, recruited a fortnight ago from AFC Wimbledon, looks strong, skilful and also very aware. Just eighteen last week, he has already imposed himself like a seasoned pro.

Joining those two is defender Ryan Bartley, loaned from Crystal Palace, who had a half-hour taste of National South, coming off the bench in Borough’s astonishing victory at Dulwich Hamlet, when three goals in a dramatic final ten minutes sealed the points in front of a huge 3,400 Champion Hill crowd.

Tomorrow, Taunton Town arrive at the Lane with a decent record in their first ever season at Step Two. But if the Sports can hit the form of their last two league victories, then that Senior Cup result will be a mere scribble in the margin of their 22-23 season.