Ten-man Eastbourne Borough were made to pay for missed chances as they were beaten by a clinical Chelmsford City side.
After a goalless first half, the Clarets took advantage of their limited chances to bag all three points at Priory Lane.
And whilst the 3-0 scoreline flattered the visitors, things may have been different altogether had Adam Murray’s side taken their opportunities in the first half.
Borough were able to name both Brad Barry and Alex Finney in the starting line up after both had been sidelined through injury – Finney for just his seventh appearance of the campaign.
The Sports had a great chance to in front within three minutes when a long ball forwards played Jake Hutchinson in, but one on one with Henry Gray was denied by the Chelmsford keeper.
Alfie Bendle then whipped the ball in after a corner was played short and picked out Siya Ligendza, but his downward header was well saved by the away stopper.
Chances came at a premium during the first half, but Ligendza did force Gray into a decent save at his near post before the break.
However, it was Chelmsford who got the breakthrough after 52 minutes. Callum Watts slipped the ball through to George Alexander who despite a tight angle fired into the roof of the net with what was the visitors’ first shot on target.
The Sports looked to get back into the game, with Decarrey Sheriff having a goalbound volley blocked before Moussa Diarra couldn’t quite get on the end of an inswinging corner from Sam Beard.
However, Borough’s hopes were then dealt a blow when the visitors doubled their lead with twenty minutes to go. The Sports failed to really get a corner clear and Francis flicked the ball into the path of Charlie Ruff who fired across Ben Dudzinski and into the far corner from ten yards.
Dudzinski then made a good save to deny Alexander a second goal after he met Ody Alfa’s cross from the left, before Sheriff fired a half-volley just wide after Hutchinson was hauled down on the edge of the area.
Imran Uche should have done better when he met a corner – Borough’s 11th of the game – before Adam Murray’s side were reduced to ten men late on.
A long ball forward caused a mix up at the back and Alfa nipped in, only to go down under minimal contact from Finney. Despite that, referee Constantine Hatzidakis showed him a red card.
And the Clarets sealed the points in stoppage time. Samir Carruthers lobbed a free-kick over the wall into the run of Anthony Wordsworth, who moments after coming off the bench fired a volley beyond Dudzinski to wrap up the 3-0 win.
