City missed the opportunity to erase the memory of last season’s play-off defeat at the hands of Eastbourne as they failed to capitalise on twice being ahead before a Scott Ramsay double sealed the points for the visitors.

A fit again Dave Sadler returned to the Lilywhites’ starting line-up at the expense of midfielder Steve Parmenter whilst Carl Williams was preferred to Craig Dobson on the right as Gary Roberts made two changes from the side which got back to winning ways at Yeading on Bank Holiday Monday.

Paul Booth toes the ball away as two opponents close in

Without a league victory since an opening day success at Bishop’s Stortford, Borough were held at home by Welling in their last outing and visiting boss Garry Wilson named an unchanged side with striker Yemi Odubade, one of the most impressive opposition players to come to Milton Road last season, sidelined by a hamstring injury.

Despite a bright opening in the warm sunshine neither ‘keeper was forced into serious action until the game exploded into life on 13 minutes.

The tenacious Carl Williams won the ball wide on the left and then instigated a flowing move by feeding Mark Molesley. The former Hayes midfielder played a neat pass to Paul Booth who sidestepped two clumsy challenges and squared across the box for Dave Sadler who slotted home at the far post.

With City still celebrating opening the scoring in such impressive style they again broke through the Eastbourne rearguard when Dale Binns played the ball inside to Sadler who turned provider by setting up Molesley but the alert Lee Hook rushed off his line to fly-kick away. The clearance fell kindly for Matt Smart who made the most of his opportunity by getting between Lee Chaffey and Matt Langston only for his progress to be halted by the outstretched leg of the City centre half close to the touchline. Mr Barnes, himself caught out by the pace at which the game had switched from one end to the other looked to his assistant who confirmed a foul had been committed and a penalty was awarded.

Scott Ramsay took the resultant spot kick which Ricky Millard saved low to his left but Matt Crabb was first to react to the loose ball and fired the rebound into the roof of the net.

Unsurprisingly the game then settled in the early afternoon heat although Eastbourne were forced to reorganise when Ben Austin, injured early on, limped out of the action and was replaced by Danny Simmonds.

Matt Langston forces the ball towards the Eastbourne goal

City’s enterprise in coming forward was rewarded when they regained the lead with ten minutes of the half remaining. Dave Sadler was impeded wide on the City right. Mark Molesley played a short free kick to Dale Binns who had come in from the left. The former Hendon wide man used his good close control to create some space on the edge of the box before sending a rising right foot drive beyond the grasp of the despairing Hook.

The Lilywhites continued to look assured for the remainder of the half and were good value for their interval lead.

In much the same way as Yeading had done on Monday, Eastbourne reorganised at the break in order to stop the supply to City’s dangerous wide players and as a result stifled City’s attacking options.

City looked to their midfielders running from deep and had Mark Molesley scored when he collected Paul Booth’s deft header and raced powerfully through the inside left channel before sliding his effort across the face of goal it would probably have been game over.

However the Lilywhites appeared to run out of steam and ideas and began to sit deeper inviting the visitors onto them. This combined with conceding a succession of free kicks proved to be their undoing.

On 66 minutes Ollie Rowland launched a routine ball from the centre circle towards the left of the City box. The ball was partially cleared and the alert Ramsay pounced on the chance to fire a first time shot wide of the motionless Millard and into the corner of the net.

Gary Roberts made a double change introducing Craig Dobson and Robbie Simpson for Carl Williams and Dave Sadler respectively and the two soon combined to create an opening when the teenage striker won a challenge in centre field and played the ball wide to the former Lewes winger who cut inside Rowland but found himself leaning back when he shot from the right edge of the area and his effort cleared the bar. From Lee Hook’s goal kick the ball came back as far as Matt Smart who fired narrowly wide with the City defence slow to react.

Jamie Southon gets to the ball first in this midfield tussle

Another centre field free kick yielded a third goal for the visitors with little over ten minutes remaining. The ball was played wide to former Crawley player Danny Marney who crossed precisely for Ramsay who glided in unmarked at the far post and headed powerfully past Millard on his nearside.

At this point there was only one team likely to score again as the hosts wilted. First off Matt Crabb dipped a ferocious 25 yard drive off the underside of the bar with Millard beaten, Matt Langston finally scrambling to safety. If the tall central defender saved his colleagues on that occasion he played them into trouble moments later when his misplaced header fell at the feet of Ramsey who was inches away from completing his hat-trick when his drive skimmed the top of the bar.

In the dying moments of normal time City nearly snatched an equaliser when Robbie Simpson crossed from the left and Paul Booth headed powerfully back across Hook who made a fine one handed stop at full stretch, Smart bravely heading the lose ball clear of the line leaving the hosts to reflect on back-to-back home defeats on an afternoon when they could have gone top of the league.