Recap

Report

The long journey to the East Sussex coast will frustratingly have to be repeated at a later date in the season after the game fell victim to fog at half time. The abandonment put paid to the Peacocks’ hopes of a second League away win on the road this season after they had led 2-1 after the first 45 minutes.

The signs were ominous as kick-off approached with Priory Lane becoming shrouded in mist which at least didn’t become too impactive during the first half in which Town made a positive start. Zac Smith had already directed an off-balance header wide from Dylan Morgan’s cross when the visitors grabbed an early advantage after four minutes. Ross Stearn launched an overhead clearance downfield from central midfield and Nick McCootie won the chase with a Borough defender, outmuscling him to make ground down the left side before squeezing a shot home through keeper Harrison Foulkes’ legs from a narrow angle.

The hosts responded with Leone Gravata surging through the middle to drill an effort over while a couple of corners produced nothing. The Peacocks reshuffled just before the 20 minute mark when Jay Foulston had to be replaced by Dan Ball after suffering a hamstring tweak but this did nothing to put them out their stride as they added a second goal on 24 minutes. Smith saw a gap to advance and played square to the unmarked Chamberlain. Foulkes did well to block the shot which rebounded back to Chamberlain and his drive across the face was touched in by Smith, leaving the visitors well in control

Decarrey Sheriff glanced a header well wide from Archie Procter’s cross as Borough attempted a comeback which started to gain momentum when they reduced the arrears eight minutes before the break, Gravata delivering from the left and the ball ending up in the net after appearing to slip past the grasp of Dan Lavercombe. Whether striker Louis Collins got a touch to divert is open to question due to visibility but hey it doesn’t matter not as it won’t count anyway.

McCootie’s instinctive acrobatic overhead kick travelled over the top before his side were forced to defend for six minutes of added time amounting to Sheriff curling a 25 yard strike wide, Lavercombe blocking from Brad Barry at close range and penalty appeals for a handball from a Jack Clarke shot being ignored. Or maybe the fog obscured a clear view as it began to roll in as the players departed for the changing room. A ten minute delay to start the second half evolved into nearer double, with yet another ten minutes announced in the hope of the elements clearing sufficiently. The fog won the day though.

Line-Ups

Taunton: Dan Lavercombe, Jay Foulston (Dan Ball 18), Nick Grimes (captain), Austen Booth, Ollie Chamberlain, Nick McCootie, Joe Guest, Ross Stearn, Zac Smith, Dylan Morgan, Lee Lucas. Unused subs: Lloyd James, Cameron Evans, Malachi Linton, Lloyd Irish

Eastbourne: Harrison Foulkes, Archie Procter, Brad Barry (captain), Jack Clarke, Decarrey Sheriff, Freddie Carter, Louis Collins, Leone Gravata, Callum Kealy, David Sesay, George Brown. Unused subs: Scott Leslie, Dan Quick, Shiloh Remy, Fletcher Holman, Billy Vigar

Officials

Referee: Lewis Sandoe (Christchurch)
Referee’s Assistant 1: Jacob Wright (Southsea)
Referee’s Assistant 2: James Colley (Havant)

Attendance

TBC

Reaction

“When it’s against you, it’s against you……..” watch Rob Dray’s Match Reaction on Peacocks TV HERE

Highlights

TBC

Photos

Match Photos from Club Photographers Darren Harris can be viewed HERE and Debbie Gould HERE

Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance MOM

No award given due to abandonment