Eastbourne Borough returned to winning ways with a hard-fought win over fellow promotion chasers Maidstone United.

George Alexander scored his seventh goal in three games to give Borough a 1-0 win at The ReachTV Stadium.

Both teams were reduced to ten men inside the final twenty minutes, but the Sports held on to maintain second spot in the National League South.

Adam Murray made three changes to the starting line-up which drew with Hemel Hempstead on Saturday – with club captain Brad Barry back for his first start since mid-December. Dom Odusanya and David Sesay were also recalled.

It was the visitors who started on the front foot, with their high pressing putting Borough under pressure early on.

However, they couldn’t turn that into shots on goal – with Ben Brookes’ free-kick going just over the closest either side came inside the first ten minutes.

As the half wore on, though, the Sports looked to grow into the game. Raphe Brown headed Yahaya Bamba’s inviting cross just wide of his own goal, before a corner routine from the training round almost paid off – but Alexander’s shot was deflected wide.

Alexander then thought he should’ve had a penalty when Maidstone goalkeeper Alexis Andre Jr came together with the forward, but referee Ayrton Hussey waved play on.

After the half hour mark, Barry and Courtney Clarke linked up well down the right-hand side – the former played into space on the byline. His low ball across goal was deflected into the path of Kai Innocent on the edge of the area, but he fired high and wide.

In a closely fought game, clear cut chances were hard to come by – with only a last-ditch challenge from Reiss Greenidge denying Alexander a sight of goal after a good ball through from Odusanya.

It was all to play for in the second half – and the Sports had the better of the opportunities, but without really testing Andre Jr. Fast thinking from Odusanya saw him play a quick free-kick through to Bamba, but his low cross was deflected behind before Jason Adigun’s corner was headed towards his own goal by Greenidge but Andre Jr saved.

The visitors then went close when Brookes chipped a free kick into the area from the left and picked out Greenidge, who got in front of his marker but headed just wide.

However, with twenty minutes to go, the Sports broke the deadlock. After Innocent won the ball in midfield, Adigun had space to play it through the Stones defence and into the path of Alexander, who held off his marker before firing past Andre Jr at his near post for his 19^th league goal of the campaign.

Maidstone were then reduced to ten men minutes later – Raphe Brown shown a straight red card for a challenge on Bamba in front of the dugouts.

However, it was soon 10-a-side when Clarke was shown a second yellow for the Sports with thirteen minutes to go.

As time wore on, the Sports sat back to defend their advantage – and the visitors couldn’t break down a resilient defence.

However, in the sixth of nine added minutes, there was one last chance. Bivesh Gurung floated a cross in to the far post and picked out substitute Shaquile Coulthirst, but his header went straight at Joe Wright.

A big three points for the Sports, who continue their unbeaten home record, and keep up their promotion ambitions with this win.