Eastbourne Borough Women’s chances of finishing runners-up in the SCWGFL Premier is now out of their hands after they did what they needed to do against Horsham.
A dominant second half display saw Billy Wood’s side run out 7-0 winners at Priory Lane to give them their eighth league win in a row – and a first clean sheet of the season to boot.
Yet a second place finish is out of their hands, with Shoreham needing to drop points in any of their last three games to give Borough the runners-up spot – and with it a chance of promotion.
The Sports made one change to the starting line up from the win over Horsham Sparrows, with Izzy Payne making her first start in place of the injured Charlotte Gurr.
Borough started on the front foot, and went close early on. Megan Griffiths did well to win the ball high up the pitch and broke through on goal, but her low effort came back off the foot of the post.
But it wasn’t all one way traffic, and Horsham had a chance themselves when Grace Jeffrey played the ball through to Bryony Irvine, but with just the keeper to beat she pulled her effort wide of the far corner.
However, the breakthrough came for the hosts with 18 minutes gone. Sian Heather did well to cross in from the right and pick out Griffiths who flicked the ball beyond Ellie Chapman and into the net.
Horsham looked to get back level after the goal, but it was the Sports who almost doubled their lead after the half hour mark but Griffiths couldn’t get enough on her shot to really test Chapman after good work from Abbie Tucker.
With just a one goal lead at the break, Borough knew they were in for a tough game against a side who had won their last three games – all while keeping clean sheets.
However, a fast start to the second half soon put any fears of being pegged back at ease – with the Sports doubling their lead within a minute of the restart.
Griffiths was this time the provider – breaking down the left hand side and cutting the ball across to Heather who fired into the bottom corner.
The winger was proving to be a real handful, and she made it 3-0 after just 49 minutes. Payne played a great ball through to Griffiths, who timed her run to perfection before slotting home at the second attempt after her initial effort was well saved by Chapman.
Griffiths almost completed her hat-trick just moments later, but was denied by Chapman before Erin Todd hit the post from the rebound.
Todd, though, did get on the scoresheet just before the hour mark. Tucker broke down the right and shifted the ball across goal and found Todd, who fired home with a first time finish.
Borough kept pressing, with Griffiths hitting the post as she hunted her hat-trick, before Becky Simmons fired wide from inside the area.
The substitute, though, did make it 5-0 on 72 minutes. Kellie Larkin’s ball through from midfield set Simmons away, and one on one with Chapman picked out the far corner.
Simmons then hit the post from close range, before she scored her second as the clock hit 90. Larkin was again the provider, with her ball forwards causing a mix up between defender and goalkeeper and Simmons was on hand to take advantage and tuck home her 14th goal of the campaign.
But Borough weren’t finished there – as they made it 7-0 just before full-time. Phoebe Cram’s shot held up in the wind, and Payne didn’t give up and got to the ball before Chapman to bundle home.
