Eastbourne Borough’s preparations for the new season continued as they fell to a narrow defeat away at Dartford.

The decisive moment came with just 15 minutes gone when a rocket from Samir Carruthers picked out the top corner.

The Sports huffed and puffed, and after giving minutes to 22 players couldn’t quite find their way past a stern home defence at Princes Park.

Matt Gray’s side were on the front foot early on. The lively Joey Phuthi broke down the right hand side but his ball in looking for Pemi Aderoju was cleared behind for a corner. Isaac Pitblado whipped in the resulting corner, and after a Trialist saw his header blocked, Aderoju also had his follow-up blocked by a lunging defender.

Despite The Sports’ confident start, it was the hosts who broke the deadlock – and in stunning style. Carruthers’ corner was headed away as far as Ikechi Eze, and his blocked shot fell into the path of Carruthers on the right-hand side of the area and his first time strike picked out the top far corner.

Pitblado whipped in another inviting set-piece from the right and picked out a red shirt, but the ball went wide for a goal kick.

However, as the half neared its end it was the hosts who almost doubled their lead when Carruthers flicked the ball into the feet of Callum Jones, who saw his drive clip the outside of the near post.

Borough made a double switch at the break, and almost drew level just before the hour mark when Phuthi did well to create space and he found Tayt Trusty on the edge of the area, and his first-time strike was well blocked by a lunging defender.

Jamie Searle then had to be at his best to deny Carruthers a second at the other end, before The Sports made seven changes on the hour mark – with the likes of George Alexander and Harvey Lintott coming on.

As a result, the game became scrappier and neither side really created any chances until the hosts had an opportunity to double their lead with ten minutes to go.

The hosts won a penalty, and Eddie Dsane stepped up – only for Borough’s Trialist goalkeeper to make a great stop diving to his left.

Olly Box then forced the keeper into another smart save late on, with The Sports getting more minutes under their belts with this their second of six pre-season outings.