Eastbourne Borough Away 5th Dec 2020

[TonyH]

Hugely disappointing result but Bath did us a favour beating Dorking but St Albans now breathing down our necks with 3 games in hand.

The problem is plain to see - our strikers are not scoring enough goals. Again today we created a hatful of chances without a positive result. Good to see Alfie back at the Club but hasn’t come close to scoring yet and Chris Dicksons tenure with us will be shortened by Hornchurch’s return to football. Elliott looks a shadow of the player he was last season and Jack, as much as he works hard, has yet to deliver also. Sorry, but Charlie for me is not the answer. We need to address this soon (I don’t have the answer other than m, perhaps, to bring a striker of the stature of Jason Prior to us and that’s not going to happen.

On a secondary note, we seem to switch off at full-back late on in the game particularly. Jordan at fault for their goals 2 and 3. Sorry, but he is not a full-back and that needs to be changed.

The sad thing is we’ve no league fixture now until Boxing Day.

[Jonty]

What's important is how we bounce back. Maybe, SK will shake up the backline. I know Conner offers us more going forward but since his return, we have started to concede and we don't look as solid at the back. To make me even more annoyed is seeing RV getting praise at Dulwich Hamlet and a clean sheet. You just get the feeling that the gaffer doesn't fancy Ronny or Hill, who was ever-present last season and has not even had a look in so far. Just find this a little odd.

Difficult choices all round mate and you got me thinking so i had to check on the goals conceded.
In the last six we have conceded 6 (scored 10), in the previous 6 we conceded 5 (scored 8) so not much difference.
Ronnie is a very good player and will feel unlucky not to be playing but we have such a strong squad it must be a very difficult decision to pick the starting 11.
After today though i wouldn't be surprised to see a few changes next game.

That is interesting, it just goes to show the problem the gaffer has of team selection...which is not a bad thing. Looking at the players who have turned out for us this season, I would say that only Jacob and Tom Bonner are nailed on starters based on season to date performances. Today, we were beaten by a very good Eastbourne side and anyone who has Chris Whelpdale in their ranks are always going to be a handful, he was Gillingham's best player for a number of years, just look at his football league stats. It just goes to show that it is a very hard league and people have to accept that we will probably lose more games this season but so will other teams. Its not the end of the world, I still think that the team who finishes above us will win the league.

[KevinAnderson]

I must admit I thought Darts would be stronger. After the (superb) equaliser, and with the gale behind you, you should have been in total control but your balls forward and into the box seemed a bit uncontrolled and rash. I think you maybe let Borough off the hook. Your substitutions surprised me slightly, and actually lost you some momentum. Dartford play more football than Dorking, and far more than St Albans. I'd say the title will go to one of those three although I've not seen Havant.

Eastbourne however are no mugs this season and will be top half. Can't take any result for granted this season, witness Bath today.

Sorry that I called your scorer wrongly - I thought it was Jacob but our announcer - closer to the action and on other side of the pitch - called it Dickson. And just as that substitution was made, my team sheet - literally - blew away, so I guessed! Welcome to the Eastbourne micro climate...

(Anyway I'll leave you in peace. Thanks for today and see you in February. Very best wishes.)

[M1 South]

We done well to equalise & what a strike!! At that time i think both teams would have taken a point each, but 2 x very well taken goals from Eastbourne sealed the game for them!!
On a side issue; I do think all the pre match hype about non-admittance of away fans & identity checks was just scaremongering & subsequently of no relevence whatsoever!! Everyone queuing sensibly, temperature check on entry (which seemed to work rather intermittantly?) In the end the Steward said "Oh just go in!" !!
No forced social distancing as such, they just left it for everyone to just be sensible & common sense prevailed (Which is what should have been happening all along) 2 x Bars selling Beers which you could take pitchside, no problems whatsoever!!
I do feel the team would have benefited from more of our fans being welcomed. Not sure what the attendance was but 99.99% home fans does give them a distinct advantage!! if you have a chance to actually get to a game i would say grab it with both hands, as long as we all mind our manners & spend our tanners, all i feel will be fine!!
Anyway,good to blow 9 x months of cobwebs off and obviously still a long way to go!! COYD.

[M1 South]

Sorry; In case you're wondering how i attained access i simply used my 2nd UK home, the Penthouse flat on Eastbourne Marinas address!!

[dartLion]

Were you wearing your Darts scarf M1? If so then Kevin the commentator picked you out!

Overall Kevin, I thought your commentary was fair for a home club supporter, not over excitable when Boro scored, although naturally I couldn't agree with a couple of your calls on decisions you felt should be in favour of the home side. A difficult job let alone have a masters knowledge of the opposition, (ref Jacob's wonder strike) but it showed through that you recognise class. And your reference to the crowds returning to Princes Park next Saturday was also sadly inaccurate, as Dartford is currently in the county wide tier 3. So thanks for the commentary and good luck to the Boro, well until 9th February anyway! Hopefully home supporters will be present by then to act as our 12th and 13th men.

[TonyH]

I thought, all round, Eastbourne’s stream delivery, including commentary, was excellent!

[M1 South]

No, i was in full Scott of the Antartic attire, it was Baltic down there as per!!
(why do we never play them in May or August?)

[DA Mikey]

No, i was in full Scott of the Antartic attire, it was Baltic down there as per!!
(why do we never play them in May or August?)

Fair play to you M1! There will be rolling of eyes, shaking of heads and tutting for sure that you went (these will be provid types), but I say well done.
We did once play down there early on in the season and got bitten to pieces by the midges!

[PeteSamson]

Looking at the flags, I would have thought the wind was making it somewhat difficult for the players on both sides. Eastbourne gave us a good game, and we were not able to relax. They took their chances - we didn't. I also thought that when we got it back to 1-1, we would go on to score more goals, but it didn't happen.
I just wonder whether we are making too many changes to the lineups. Strange how opinions are so varied, because Ebbs was one of those in my mind for consideration as MoM, as is Jacob and Wady, who pulled off some excellent saves, despite the scoreline.
3-1 wasn't a fair reflection on the game.
I also picked up on Jonty's comments on reports of Ronnie Vint's performance for Dulwich today. He played the first 7 matches. Connor has now played the last six games in his place, and was MoM in his first game. But I think Ronnie has been the more consistent of the two. Difficult choices for the manager, as Josh Hill has not even had a chance of making a start, such is the competition for places. I thought Ronnie was unlucky to lose his place, as well as Craig King, who I also thought hadn't done much wrong, although Wady has also played well. This I suppose is one of the difficulties of trying to keep all the players in a large squad happy and match fit. I wouldn't want to be the manager, I have to say.
Hungerford last week, and again Eastbourne this week, both on 3G pitches, neither of which looked in a good condition. Is it just the camera playing tricks?