Eastbourne Borough FC battled to a 1-1 draw against Torquay United at The ReachTV Stadium in a match that saw both sides create chances but ultimately left with a point each. Despite taking the lead through Alexander’s first-half goal, Borough were quickly pegged back by a resilient Torquay side, and neither team could find the breakthrough in a tense and competitive second half.

The game started with Borough looking sharp and purposeful, especially in the early exchanges. Klass and Williams combined beautifully in midfield, and a lofted through ball almost found Bamba, but Torquay’s goalkeeper, Hamow, came out quickly to collect. Borough’s first real chance came in the 5th minute when a long ball from Barry found Alexander, who knocked it down for Bamba to shoot. However, a slip at the critical moment saw the chance fizzle out.

Borough began to build pressure, and after a spell of sustained attacks, they thought they had taken the lead in the 15th minute when Alexander headed home from a corner, but the referee ruled it out for a foul. Undeterred, Borough continued to press, and their persistence paid off in the 33rd minute. A corner from Bird was floated towards the back post, where Alexander volleyed it goalwards. Despite the best efforts of the Torquay defence to clear the ball off the line, the referee awarded the goal, much to the delight of the home fans.

However, Borough’s joy was short-lived. Just three minutes later, Torquay responded with a goal of their own. After some intricate passing around the box, Craske found space and fired a shot past Wright to level the score at 1-1. The game became an open contest from that point, with both teams pushing forward in search of a second goal. Wright had to be alert to punch away a dangerous free-kick in the 27th minute, while Alexander and Bamba combined again to create more opportunities, but Torquay’s defence stood firm.

In the second half, Borough came out with renewed energy. Klass and C. Clarke were instrumental in creating chances, with Sesay delivering several dangerous crosses into the box. Bamba had a great opportunity in the 52nd minute when he was played through by Odusanya, but his shot was comfortably saved by Hamow. As the game progressed, both teams had spells of dominance, but the match remained evenly poised.

Torquay had a golden opportunity to take the lead in the 83rd minute when Mussa’s shot from the edge of the box was deflected wide by C. Clarke’s last-ditch block. Meanwhile, Borough continued to threaten from set-pieces, with Bird’s long throws and corners causing chaos in the Torquay box. Pavey came close to finding a winner in stoppage time, rising high to meet a Bird corner, but his header went just wide.

Despite the late pressure from both sides, neither team could find the decisive goal. The final whistle blew, confirming a 1-1 draw in a game that Borough will feel they could have won, but ultimately, a point against a tough Torquay side is a positive result.

Borough will now look ahead to their next fixture, hoping to build on this performance. A big thank you to the home supporters for their backing throughout the match, as Borough continue their push for points in the league.