There was no fairytale ending to City’s record breaking season as they were comprehensively beaten by an impressive Eastbourne Boro’ side in the Conference South Play-Off Final at Milton Road, courtesy of goals from Ben Austin, Matt Smart and Yemi Odubade.

The Lilywhites rounded off their regular league fixtures with a low-key home defeat at the hands of Sutton last weekend. Gary Roberts, who rested several players for that fixture, brought Glen Fuff, Matt Langston and Josh Simpson back into the starting line-up.

Glen Fuff clears upfield with a powerful header

After a hectic end of season Eastbourne travelled to Thurrock on Tuesday night and pulled off a superb 4-2 semi-final victory thanks to Ben Austin, Andy Atkin, skipper Stuart Tuck and Scott Ramsey all hitting the target.

The importance of the fixture was reflected in the opening exchanges with neither side taking any risks going forward. Thirteen minutes passing before the first hint of danger when Danny Simmonds slipped the ball past Lee Summerscales and freed Scott Ramsey whose good overlapping run sent him clear down the visitors’ right, but his final delivery failed to clear Matt Langston, covering at the near post.

City countered with a Gary Fiskin drive from a Dave Sadler lay-off but the Swansea loanee was way off target with his effort. The hosts then had a half chance to break the deadlock when Dale Binns combined with Summerscales on the left and worked the ball into the box for Sadler who skied when well placed, but under challenge, from ten yards out.

Having probably expected to be put under more pressure in the opening period Eastbourne began to settle and to both pass and keep the ball much more effectively than their opponents. The first signs that they were beginning to exert some authority on the game came 25 minutes in when Matt Robinson conceded a needless free kick wide on the City right, Simmonds floated in a perfect centre and Ramsey rose unchallenged to crash a header off the underside of the bar with Dunacan Robers beaten, Craig Pope clearing the loose ball.

This proved to be only a temporary reprieve however as within moments Ramsey crossed from the same flank to Ben Austin who had a made a well timed blind-side run from right back, the former Eastbourne Town player struck an unstoppable volley back across Roberts who could only watch on as the net bulged and the visiting fans celebrated in the midst of a torrential hail storm.

City immediately pushed Matt Robinson up to partner Sadler as Gary Roberts abandoned the 4-5-1 formation that had limited the Milton Road outfit’s attacking potential.

After a largely quiet opening period the dangerous Yemi Odubade drifted left to collect the ball before cutting inside Lee Summerscales who stood his ground well to force the former Yeovil striker to fire into the side netting.

Josh Simpson plays his pass despite the attentions of an opponent

As the half drew to a close City registered their first effort on target when Matt Robinson played the ball intelligently into the feet of Sadler. The 20 goal striker turned neatly away from Stuart Playford and fired to left of Lee Hook who gathered comfortably.

Obviously fired up by Gary Roberts City upped the pace at the start of the second half, pressing Eastbourne back and forcing a succession of corners, but despite playing the game in and around the visitors’ box for a good five minute spell Hook was never forced into action.

Conversely, as Boro’ launched a quick break, the lightening fast Odubade outpaced Matt Langston, who is reasonably swift himself, forcing Roberts into an important double save which kept City in the contest.

Whilst protecting their lead impressively at one end the Sussex club looked incisive on the counter and the increasingly influential Odubade threatened again only to be foiled by an excellent Glen Fuff challenge.

Dale Binns and Dave Sadler combined to allow Josh Simpson a rare sight of goal but the teenager, who was the best of City’s midfielders despite his lengthy injury lay off, fired wide from the edge of the area.

With just under an hour played Eastbourne scored a decisive second. Another carelessly conceded free kick in the right back position proved to be City’s undoing. This time, a skilfully executed set piece saw Simmonds bend the ball in low to the near post where Matt Smart ghosted in on an unchecked diagonal run from the opposite corner of the box and fired first time against Roberts. The ball cannoned of the near post and back into the feet of the former Horsham midfielder who made no mistake at the second time of asking.

Gary Roberts responded with a double change throwing two strikers, Robbie Simpson and Michael Gash into the mix and withdrawing Richard Scott and Matt Robinson as City went 4-3-3.

Gash was soon in the thick of the action picking up Dave Sadler’s flick from Matt Langston’s through ball and forcing Hook into rare action.

With one eye on next week’s impending trip to the Britannia Stadium Gary Wilson started to rotate his players, first resting Playford and introducing Danny Chapman.

Dave Sadler is crowded out

Odubade continued to be a thorn in City’s side and with a quarter of an hour remaining he showed good strength to hold off Matt Langston but the City skipper stuck to his task forcing the striker to fire into the side netting. This was only a prelude of what was to however when moments later, the same player, who had scored twice when Boro’ visited Milton Road in February, went deep to collect from the inside right position. As City players backed off he unleashed a ferocious drive from the edge of the box which left Roberts motionless as it nestled into the bottom corner.

The Lilywhites attempted to counter immediately through Robbie Simpson but Hook claimed his effort without undue alarm.

Gary Wilson then withdrew Ramsey, allowing Loui Fazakerly the final fifteen minutes and the former Fulham apprentice wasted no time in squaring for Odubade who forced Roberts into producing a fine save low to his left.

As the game entered it’s closing stages City came close to a consolation when Matt Langston rose to Gary Fiskin’s corner and glanced a near post header across the face of goal. The final few minutes were punctuated by further substitutions but no more goalmouth action as Eastbourne squeezed the life out of the game by keeping the ball to good effect before Mr Darlow’s final whistle sent the visitors into wild celebration.

Although this was a hugely disappointing result for City it shouldn’t diminish the achievements of what has been the best season for many years. The Lilywhites lost to a team who played better on the day and on this performance, are deserving of a place in the Final at Stoke next week.

City should look back on a hugely successful campaign and remain confident that there is every chance of mounting another tilt at the title next year.