Eastbourne Borough FC secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Weymouth FC at the Bob Lucas Stadium, thanks to a spectacular second-half free kick from Ligendza. In a match that tested the resilience and depth of the squad, with changes like Pavey, Johnson, and Bird not starting along with injuries early on, the Sports showed determination to claim all three points on the road.

The match started with Borough looking to impose themselves early. In the 7th minute, Bamba made a surging run down the right, beating his marker to deliver a cross, but the Weymouth keeper was quick to gather before Ligendza could connect. The game saw its first booking in the 9th minute, with Davis receiving a yellow card for tugging on a Weymouth player’s shirt. The Sports came close to breaking the deadlock in the 15th minute when a free kick from Barry found Diarra, who headed it down to Quick, whose shot was saved and put out for a corner.

Injuries forced early changes for Borough, with Johnson coming on for Ballard McBride in the 21st minute and Davison replacing Barry six minutes later. Despite these setbacks, the team continued to push forward. Weymouth, however, had a chance to take the lead in the 38th minute when they broke quickly from a Borough corner, but Wright was equal to the task, making a crucial save to keep the score level. As the first half drew to a close, Bamba narrowly missed putting Borough ahead, with his shot after a powerful run into the box going just wide of the post.

The decisive moment came in the 64th minute. After Weymouth’s Bearwish was booked for handball, Ligendza stepped up to take the resulting free kick from 30 yards out. He struck it beautifully, sending the ball into the top right-hand corner to give Borough the lead. The Sports defended resolutely for the remainder of the match, with Diarra making a vital goal-saving challenge in the 87th minute to deny Weymouth an equaliser. Weymouth continued to press, but Borough’s defense, led by Quick, Diarra and Carter, stood firm.

In the dying moments of the match, Weymouth had a final chance to salvage a point, but their headed effort from a free kick went off target, sealing the victory for Eastbourne. The win showcased the team’s depth and resilience, especially after losing two key players to injury early on. With this victory, the Sports continue to build momentum as they push forward in their campaign.