Eastbourne Borough slipped to back-to-back away losses after they suffered defeat at Chippenham Town.

The Sports had gone into the game on the back of one defeat in their last four games, and looked to extend that when Fletcher Holman had given them a deserved lead.

However, Caine Bradbury’s free-kick drew the hosts level against the run of play in the first half.

And it was Chippenham that pressed on after the break, with Matt McClure’s penalty and Bradbury’s second of the game putting them 3-1 up.

Leone Gravata’s second goal in as many games pulled Borough back into the game, but Craig Fasanmade’s goal on the counter in stoppage time sealed a 4-2 win for the hosts.

Still dealing with a lengthy injury list, Mark Beard made one change from the team that drew with Slough seven days prior – Jay Beckford coming in for Imran Uche who was dropped to the bench.

After sharing a minute’s applause in memory of Town’s John Harrington and Borough’s own Len Smith, the Sports started on the front foot.

Shooting down the slope at The TS Stadium in the first half, Borough enjoyed plenty of possession and had half a chance early on but Zak Emmerson’s strike was well blocked by Nat Williams.

Gravata, playing in a more central role, then found space in midfield and threaded a ball through to Holman, but one on one with Will Henry couldn’t find a way past the keeper.

Holman, though, wasn’t to be denied after 21 minutes. Decarrey Sheriff played the ball down the left and the young forward broke clear of Luke Haines, before cutting inside and firing low into the bottom corner despite Dan Ellison’s efforts to block.

Borough were still on the front foot, with Emmerson seeing another shot blocked after good work from Gravata and Beckford.

However, after going behind the hosts grew into the half. Bradbury fired wide after good work from Tyreke Johnson, before Freddie Grant had a shot go straight at Harrison Foulkes.

And Town drew level two minutes before half-time. Borough switched off from a throw, leading to Freddie Carter to conceding a free-kick on the edge of the box. Bradbury stepped up, and fired over the wall and into the top corner.

Borough, though, still had a chance to go into the break in front. Jack Clarke’s free-kick in wasn’t cleared and eventually dropped to Billy Vigar, but his low effort was kept out by Henry.

But within six minutes of the restart, Borough went behind. Johnson did well to beat Carter and then go past Clarke, before he was bundled over by Carter inside the area for a penalty. McClure stepped up, and the Town skipper fired down the middle to put his side in front.

The Sports looked for a response, but shooting up the slope found opportunities hard to come by. Emmerson’s run forwards was thwarted by a good challenge before Gravata had a shot blocked by Ellison.

Haines then did well to deny the Sports when Emmerson broke down the right, but the centre half made up ground to block his ball in with Holman waiting in the six yard box.

But with 72 minutes on the clock, the visitors fell further behind. Ellison played a cross-field ball to Williams on the right. He fed it through to Bradbury in space, and he drove past Foulkes at his near post.

However, Borough gave themselves a lifeline just four minutes later. Vigar found Sheriff on the right. He was allowed to cut inside, and pick out Gravata in the area who took a touch before his low drive beat Henry.

The Sports went on the offensive looking for that equaliser as the game entered stoppage time, but were nearly caught out. Craig Fasanmade raced through on goal and took the ball past Foulkes, but Archie Procter produced a great goal-line clearance as he raced back towards his own goal.

But the substitute wasn’t to be denied moments later. Borough’s attack from a long throw broke down and Luke Spokes played through Fasanmade, who this time took it around the Borough keeper before firing home to make the game safe for the hosts.