From the Eastbourne Herald:
Eastbourne's unbeaten run goes down Bath plughole - report and picture gallery
Eastbourne Borough fell to their first defeat of 2022 after a poor first half performance cost them away at Bath City, writes Anthony Scott.
A brace from Alex Fletcher saw the hosts take a 2-0 lead into the half-time break. And despite a much improved Borough display in the second half, Leone Gravata’s second goal of the season proved to be in vain at Twerton Park.
Danny Bloor was able to name the same starting line-up for the third game in a row, with Dom Hutchinson returning to the bench after missing out through Covid in recent weeks.
The Sports had a gruelling trip to the west country, not arriving until 50 minutes to kick-off, and made a slow start in front of a 1,001-strong crowd.
Cody Cooke poked an effort wide from inside six yards inside ten minutes before Elliott Frear’s low cross found Fletcher at the near post but Lee Worgan made a fine stop to deny him.
And it was the Frear/Fletcher combination that saw the hosts go in front on 16 minutes. Frear swung the ball in from the left hand side and he picked out an unmarked Fletcher at the far post. The striker headed the ball back across goal, beyond the wrongfooted Worgan and into the net despite the best efforts of Trent Mahorn who tried to hook the ball off the line.
Borough looked to get back into the game, with Jaden Perez’s effort straight at Ryan Clarke before Mahorn saw an effort blocked following Jack Currie’s corner.
But Bath continued to pose a threat as the interval approached. Dylan Kadji slipped a ball through to debutant Ben Seymour but one on one with Worgan was denied by the Sports keeper who spread himself well to make the save.
However, Jerry Gill’s men did double their lead moments later. The Sports switched off as a corner was taken short and Cooke lifted the ball in from the right and Fletcher’s glancing header found the far corner.
Borough played with more fight and determination after half-time, but it was the introduction of Gravata after 56 minutes which looked to be the turning point.
And midway through the second half, the young winger fired his side back into the game. Greg Luer fired a low ball in, which James Hammond dummied to Gravata who took a touch before his low drive gave the diving Clarke no chance from 18 yards out.
Moments after pulling one back, Borough almost levelled when Gravata teed up Charlie Walker inside the area but Clarke stood firm at his near post to deny the Sports skipper.
Bath looked to run the clock down in search for a return to winning ways as Bloor threw on Hutchinson with ten minutes to go.
With four minutes left, Gravata almost made a name for himself when Charley Kendall found the substitute on the left. He cut the ball back onto his right foot but Clarke did well to turn his shot around the near post.
Bath had the chance to seal the win on the break late on, but Cooke was denied by a fine stop from Worgan before Borough had late appeals for a penalty turned down as Kendall went down under a challenge, but ultimately the Sports left themselves too much to do in the second half as they suffered an eighth loss of the campaign.
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Action from Eastbourne Borough's 2-1 defeat at Bath City / Pictures: Lydia and Nick Redman
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Action from Eastbourne Borough's 2-1 defeat at Bath City / Pictures: Lydia and Nick Redman
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Action from Eastbourne Borough's 2-1 defeat at Bath City / Pictures: Lydia and Nick Redman
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Action from Eastbourne Borough's 2-1 defeat at Bath City / Pictures: Lydia and Nick Redman
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