Eastbourne Borough maintained their impressive form of late with a fully deserved win over Tonbridge Angels at The ReachTV Stadium.

Freddie Carter’s early header was cancelled out by Bailey Akehurst, before George Alexander’s second half effort proved to be the difference.

Three points for the Sports lifts them back up to forth – moving level with top spot on 55 points – and completes a first league double over the Angels.

Adam Murray made two changes to the starting line up from last weekend’s win over Chelmsford – with Pierce Bird and John Shamalo coming in for the injured David Sesay and Alexander – who was named on the bench.

The Sports wasted no time getting into their stride – and broke the deadlock from the first set-piece of the game with barely two minutes on the clock. Jack Clarke whipped in an inviting free-kick from the left hand side and picked out Carter at the far post.

With still plenty to do, the defender got in front of his marker before heading the ball low beyond Matthew Rowley and into the bottom corner.

However, the lead didn’t last long as Tonbridge fought back to draw level on nine minutes when the ball was played to Akehurst on the left hand side and his low drive found the bottom corner from just inside the area.

In a cagey first half, the game struggled to flow as fouls were committed by both teams in a stop-start period.

But when chances did come, they fell to the Sports. Jason Adigun couldn’t get enough power behind his effort to test Rowley as Carter’s long throw was flicked to the far post, before Dom Odusanya fired wide from the edge of the area after Yahaya Bamba’s ball through looking for Shamalo was cut out.

And a fairly uneventful half was summed up with five minutes to go when Bamba looked to break through on goal before Adigun took over. He was tackled on the edge of the area and the ball rolled to Courtney Clarke but he fired over the top.

Bamba then almost broke the deadlock in the latter stages of the first period when he looked to latch onto a long ball over the top, but Rowley was out of his area to meet the forward and clear the danger.

The Sports came out the blocks quickly at the start of the second half, and almost regained their lead when Bamba burst through on goal, and held off the challenge of Jamie Fielding but saw his effort on goal saved by the leg of Rowley.

Borough then had shouts for a penalty waved away when Scott Wagstaff appeared to handle the ball inside the area, before Ollie Kensdale couldn’t get his effort on target as he met a corner from the left.

Josh Anifowose and Alexander were introduced with 64 minutes gone, and the latter was almost in the thick of the action from the off – but Bamba’s low ball in was just behind the striker.

Tonbridge were reduced to ten men with just over 20 minutes to play, with Nazir Bakrin shown a second yellow card, and Borough made their numerical advantage count almost immediately.

A corner was swung in by Bird from the right and a looping header went goalwards towards the far post. However, Rowley couldn’t claim it cleanly and the ball dropped to Alexander who bundled in from close range.

Back in front, the Sports went on to dominate possession and even looked to add to their lead as the clock ticked over.

Adigun had a free-kick from a good position held by Rowley, before Alexander had half a chance after cutting out Rowley’s pass forwards but couldn’t get his shot on target.

With three minutes to go, the Sports went close again when Anifowose played the ball out to Courtney Clarke in space on the right, but his low drive across goal went just wide of the far corner.

Another hard earned win for Borough – who maintain the only unbeaten home record in the National South and move up the table.