Eastbourne Borough 3 Hemel Hempstead Town 0
Gravata 22, Walker 34, Remy 65 (P)
Match Report by Allan Mitchell, Photos by Dan Finill
’s difficult to find too many positives from the Tudors trip to the South Coast with Eastbourne running out comfortable winners on the day. Boss Brad Quinton was keen for his side to finish the season on a high and pulled no punches in the post-match summary, saying his side just didn’t turn up on the day and he had certainly let them know at half-time when his side were two goals behind and offering little to show they were going to try and get anything from the match.
Hemel actually started ok and created the first chance of the game after just two minutes when Josh Castiglione raced down the left before cutting the ball across the face of the goal, there was a bit of a scramble before it fell to Charlee Hughes who couldn’t get any real power on his shot and Lee Worgan was able to save his effort. Neither side created anything up until the 22nd minute when a long diagonal pass from the left was met full on the volley by Leone Gravata who had arrived unmarked at the back post, the ball smashed into to roof of the net, giving David Saunders no chance.
The Borough went further in front in the 35th minute when Shiloh Remy made a great run down the right, skipping past a couple of poor challenges before driving the ball into the six yard box, an Eastbourne player saw his shot blocked on the line but it dropped kindly to Charlie Walker who slotted it home. Walker brought a fine save out of Saunders a couple of minutes later as the Tudors continued to struggle to get into the game.
Half Time 2-0
The home side could have added further goals to their tally in the opening minutes of the second half. First Jack Westbrook cleared a shot off the line before Saunders saved well from Luke Pearce after Borough had mounted a quick counter attack.
David Saunders was doing his best to keep Hemel in the game and he saved twice in quick succession from Pearce, both times you thought that he was favourite to score but Hemel’s young deputy keeper was proving his worth. Eastbourne finally did add a third goal in the 65th minute when the unfortunate Jack Westbrook saw the ball conceded a penalty as he tried to stop another shot, the Tudors skipper had slipped as he blocked the effort but could nothing about it hitting his arm. There were few complaints and up stepped Shiloh Remy to tuck away the spot kick, sending Saunders the wrong way.
The Borough took their foot off the gas somewhat after this and Hemel created couple of chances as the game petered out. Reece Grant will feel he should have scored when the ball arrived at his feet just six yards out, he struck it powerfully and Worgan was rooted to the spot but it flashed the wrong side of the post to sum up the Tudors afternoon.
Quinton decided to give 17 year old Bradley Smith his first team debut bringing him on for Westbrook and the youngster didn’t look out of place, even having the confidence to shoot from outside the box, the ball just going wide of the target.
There was a late effort from Josh Williams that almost caught Worgan out, but the Borough keeper was able to push it over the bar.
Hemel: Saunders; McKenzie, Williams (J) Roberts, Westbrook (Smith) O’Connor-Ajayi; Mukendi (Bright) Williams (G) Castiglione (Brown); Hughes, Grant. Subs not used: Holness, Grant (Elias)
Tudors Man of the Match: David Saunders.
Attendance 1107