Eastbourne Borough endured an afternoon to forget as they fell to defeat at Tonbridge Angels in the National League South.

After losing Moussa Diarra to injury before being reduced to ten men after half an hour, the Sports faced an uphill battle and eventually fell to a 2-0 defeat.

Ethan Sutcliffe fired Angels in front before half time, with Mo Dabre’s second half shot coming back off the bar and in off Ben Dudzinski to sum up Borough’s luckless afternoon.

Adam Murray was forced into two changes from the win over Havant & Waterlooville, with Freddie Carter and Jack Clarke coming in for suspended duo Alex Finney and Alfie Bendle.

Both teams looked to get on the ball in the early stages, but it was the Sports who had the first chance when Decarrey Sheriff saw his shot blocked by Jonathan Henly at his near post.

Chances then came Angels’ way, with Sam Beard in the right place to head Kodi Lyons-Foster’s header off the line before Sean Shields whipped an effort wide of the far post.

But the Sports came back again and half a chance when Brad Barry’s header was blocked before Diarra skewed over on the half volley.

Clarke then won possession and released Sheriff who got past one defender but saw his low drive across goal kept out by the outstretched out of Henly.

Beard then did well at the other end once again to block Dabre’s goalbound effort after good work from Nathan Odokonyero, before Borough were dealt a blow when Diarra was forced off with a hamstring issue.

And just four minutes later, things got worse when Carter – already on a yellow card – committed a foul on the edge of the box and after plenty of protests from Tonbridge players, referee Tommy Breen showed him a second yellow card.

Angels then broke the deadlock eight minutes before the break. After playing a corner short, a cross into the box was flicked on by Lyons-Foster and broke to Sutcliffe, who picked out the top corner from close range.

Dudzinski then had to be alert to save well from Odokonyero before half-time as Angels ended the first 45 on top.

Down to ten men, Borough regrouped at the break and changed their shape. The Sports knew they needed to get back into the game, but had to weather the storm at times. Liam Vincent fired just over for the hosts, before Beard once again denied the hosts.

Dabre beat Dudzinski to a ball through and lifted the ball in from the left to an unmarked Tariq Hinds who looked set to score but Beard threw himself in front of the shot to somehow deny him.

With twenty minutes to go and the score still at 1-0, the Sports needed that bit of luck to get them back into the game and enjoyed their best spell of the half.

Imran Uche won the ball on the edge of the box but saw his low shot go straight at Henly, before Clarke weaved his way into the area but had his drive deflected just wide of the near post.

Leone Gravata, on for David Sesay who picked up a knock earlier in the half, then had a corner cleared back to him before he drove inside towards the area. He drilled the ball towards the near post but a combination of Henly and a defender kept the ball out before the hosts scrambled it clear.

But just moments later, the Sports were dealt a sucker punch. Jamie Fielding saw his low ball in from the right pushed out by Dudzinski but only to Dabre, whose shot on the turn came back off the bar, but only to go back into the net off the back of the Borough goalkeeper.

The Sports kept pushing, with Beard having an effort blocked before Sheriff fired over with a shot on the turn, but ultimate it wasn’t Borough’s afternoon in Kent.