Eastbourne Borough Vs Weymouth
National League South, Priory Lane, Saturday 6 April, 15.00 BST.
We travel east, along the South coast, to face relegation-battlers Eastbourne Borough tomorrow afternoon.
After deservedly leading 1-0 in our contest against arch-rivals Yeovil Town, before the game was abandoned before full time, we look to continue our impressive recent form which has seen us lose only once in our last seven matches.
Three points, if Dartford were to lose to fellow-strugglers Havant & Waterlooville, would put us within one point of mathematically guaranteeing our safety in England’s sixth tier.
However, despite their position of 20th-place, The Sports appear to have turned their form around at just the right time, losing just one out of their previous six games.
Their win against Dartford on Monday also took them out of the dreaded relegation zone, with just five matches left for them to play.
HOW TO FOLLOW…
Today’s 3pm kick-off will be broadcast HERE online. Viewers can sign up and pay a total of £10 to view the game
Live audio commentary will be available HERE, on our official radio website.
You can follow the action via our social media channels. Footage and exclusive reaction will also be uploaded online after the final whistle.
THE OPPOSITION…
Currently sat in 20th-place, just one point above the drop zone, The Sports prepare to host us with the hope of staying in the National League South next season.
Finishing eighth the previous campaign, their fortunes this season is a far cry from their narrow finish outside the play-offs.
For a club who boast reaching the first round of the FA Cup a total of five times, relegation to the seventh division for the first time since the 2002/03 season will be something that Adam Murray’s side are looking to avoid.
Yet they still boast a squad full of talented players, one of them being ex-Terra David Sesay, which could help keep them in the National League South for the 14th successive season.
Murray’s seat in the dugout has existed for just over three months; the former-Besiktas assistant replaced Mark Beard shortly after New Year’s Day following a poor run of results.
His tenure at the East Sussex outfit got off to a rocky start, losing SIX of his first nine league games in charge, which left The Sports 22nd in the table, seven points from safety.
However, the last four weeks have proved somewhat of a turnaround for tomorrow’s hosts, their last six results handing them 11 points.
Eastbourne’s good form has lifted them, for now at least, to safety.
Their recent record at home is part of that, winning three out of their previous five contests on familiar turf.
They are, however, yet to face the mighty Terras this season at Priory Lane, who have won three away matches in their last six, losing just once…
PREVIOUS RESULTS…
Having only faced each other 14 times, this is not a fixture especially rich in history or rivalry.
With both teams sharing an equal amount of wins (alongside just two draws), bragging rights on this South-coast clash are evenly split.
But, with only one of our wins coming in these last six meetings, it is fair to say that the hosts have enjoyed this fixture more of late.
That sole victory, however, came this season, goals from Tom Bearwish, Ezio Touray and Dan Roberts giving us the upper hand over The Sports since 2006.
That isn’t to say we haven’t garnered positive results during the other meetings; two draws in the 2019/20 season allowed us to qualify for the play-off semi-finals, before we earned ourselves a spot in the National League.
With the manager who made that happen now back in the dugout, who knows what may happen tomorrow…
Match preview
By Jack Webb
