Spirit and resilience on show as Eastbourne Borough battle to draw at Ebbsfleet United

Last Saturday saw the Sports on the road to North Kent, to face the dual challenge of hosts Ebbsfleet United and battering winds more fierce than even Priory Lane’s frequent gales.

But Gray’s men are steadily proving their mettle, and after a game that swayed as wildly as the weather, Borough came away with a creditable 2-2 draw.

The Herald’s regular reporter Kevin Anderson missed the showdown at Ebbsfleet’s Kuflink Stadium – so we tapped into the views of local author, academic and non-League observer David Bauckham. Here is David’s view of an eventful afternoon...

As the sizeable and impressive away support exited a windswept Stonebridge Road, the mood was as if Borough had won their first league match of the season, rather than having just earned another hard-fought point.

It was a result that lifted them off the foot of the table, albeit only on goal difference, but perhaps more importantly demonstrated the sort of commitment to suggest that the elusive first league win isn’t too far away.

With Mo Sagaf joining Craig Eastmond on the injured list, skipper Dan Quick started in central midfield, with Harvey Lintott coming in at right back.

With Matt Gray sticking to his preferred 4-1-4-1 formation, and Tayt Trusty sitting in front of the back four, there was still no place in the starting line-up for George Alexander, with the in-form Pemi Aderoju again preferred up front.

The blustery conditions dominated a first half in which neither keeper was seriously troubled. The Borough tactic appeared to be contain Ebbsfleet whilst hitting them on the counter, and indeed although the home side enjoyed plenty of possession, they failed to register a shot on target due to a combination of wayward shooting and a couple of timely blocks.

Borough had a couple of half chances, with the best opportunity coming on 36 minutes when Josh Anifowose burst through the centre but with good options to pass on either side, chose neither.

The second half was more even, and on the hour, another swift Borough counter-attack was rewarded. Anifowose won the ball in midfield and slotted to ball through to Arthur Grout, who bore down on goal and lifted a delightful chip over Mark Cousins and into the empty net to register his first goal for the Sports.

The lead lasted less than two minutes. There was a slice of good fortune to the Ebbsfleet equaliser, but Borough were perhaps guilty of momentarily switching off. Ryan Sandford saved Gene Kennedy’s shot from the edge of the area, but the ball fell invitingly to Kwesi Appiah who made no mistake from close range.

Borough spurned a great chance to regain the lead on 72 minutes with a well-worked free kick. Trusty got his head to a precision delivery from Isaac Pitblado, but could only direct it narrowly over the bar. Seven minutes later Borough were behind, with Gray about to introduce Alexander when Ebbsfleet scored. Again, there was an element of luck when Finlay Barnes’ effort took a wicked deflection off Freddie Carter to beat Sandford.

If one expected Borough heads to drop, however, there was not a bit of it, and anyone thinking Gray might have ‘lost’ the dressing room would have been mistaken. Instead Borough dug deep and got their reward.

Having just brought on Alexander, Gray went for broke by introducing Jayden Davis and giving a debut to Kingsley Akokye. With three strikers on the pitch, the move paid off in the fifth minute of stoppage time.

Aderoju had worked tirelessly all afternoon, and brought Borough a deserved point when he put Cousins under pressure, charging down the Ebbsfleet keeper’s attempted clearance to leave him with the easiest of tap-ins, to the delight of the Borough support behind the goal and the far end of the old stand.

A point on the road – and a point proven: this Eastbourne side have spirit and resilience and are improving by the week.