Tooting tipped out of cup as Eastbourne Borough’s adventure continues

This was a seriously impressive display by Chris Day’s team. They were organised, eager, committed – and they showed that crucial quality in teamwork, the ability to look two passes ahead instead of one.

In bright and slightly blustery conditions, the ReachTV Stadium played host to a crowd well into three figures, with home supporters launching a sort of cheeky mass trespass to occupy the directors’ (relatively) posh seats at the back of the main stand. On a Sunday afternoon, nobody minded.

Before kick-off, both clubs and their supporters joined in a minute’s silence to mark the poignant news of the death of Matt Beard – brother of our former manager Mark, and a pivotal figure in the development of Girls’ and Women’s Football. The whole club sends sincerest sympathy to Mark and all the family.

The decisive moments in this game would begin straight after half-time, but the first 45 minutes were pretty even. The South London visitors, cheered on by travelling families and friends, certainly held their own and were quick to cover and tackle, but their forward threats were only intermittent. Borough, meanwhile, created several scoring chances:

On 16 minutes, Kelly Larkin floated a dangerous ball into the box, and Lola DuLake controlled it well but struck her shot narrowly across goal. Soon DuLake turned provider with an excellent low ball across the goalmouth, fired on target by Phoebe Cram but brilliantly blocked by a Tooting defender on the line.

Before the break a Larkin strike was just wide of the post after a great assist from Gurr. And in first-half injury time DuLakecrossed for Gurr to send in a goalbound header, but keeper Ella Cronshaw denied her with a marvellous save.

As we entered the second half, Sports manager Chris Day was about to play his aces. Into the fray came the experienced Nicole Baitup and Rebecca Simmons, together with Abbie Tucker and Molly Hill.

And with this clutch of substitutes came an instant sweep of attacking pace, energy – and crucially, the off-the-ball movement which would now pull Tooting apart.

On 56 minutes, Borough broke at pace on the counter. Tucker slid Simmons in on the right, she drilled a lethal cross in from the goal-line, and Beth Creese slammed it in. Five minutes later Gurr met a cross from the left to draw a brave save from keeper Cronshaw, but Gurr reacted to hammer in the rebound.

Twelve minutes from the end, after a slightly calmer phase, Molly Hill brought down a cross and slightly miscued, but a Tooting defender netted the bouncing ball in attempting to clear. It was 4-0 on 85 minutes as Hill rose to head in a corner.

With the last meaningful kick of the match, a Tooting midfielder launched an absolute missile of a strike from 40 yards curling high and over home keeper Sophie Moule, who raised brief concern as she crashed backwards into the goalpost but got up to carry on.

A rousing afternoon, then, for Day’s impressive side: energetic, organised, racing up the learning curve as they continue their undefeated 2025-26 season. And after the final whistle, a happy post-match moment. “Miss Larkin” – a popular local schoolteacher – was assailed by a posse of her young students, eager for a group selfie!