Eastbourne Borough Under 18s reached the final of the Sussex FA Dennis Probee Youth Cup after beating Whitehawk 1-0 on Sunday.

The Sports went close inside two minutes when a ball in from the right was headed out as far as Bailey Harris but his low effort was deflected and forced Callum Monks into a low stop.

And the young Sports went in front after ten minutes. Theo Coleman-Standen floated a corner into the area and Jimmy Holman rose highest at the far post to head home from close range.

Borough were defending well as they were shooting up the slope at The Enclosed Ground, and had half a chance when Aldin Hadzic lifted the ball in and found Ollie Kennedy but he couldn’t test Monks with his header.

Whitehawk then had their first clear chance on the half hour mark. Omar Abdsami did well on the edge of the area and played the ball through to Mo Khedidji but he fired over under pressure.

Abdsami himself then dragged an effort wide as a long throw eventually fell to the home player, before Toby Whiteside was equal to a shot form outside the area from Callum Erskine early in the second half.

Then after 57 minutes, the Sports were given a scare. Jacob Hill skewed a clearance back towards his own goal and it took a fine stop from Whiteside to turn the ball onto the bar, with Rio Quaye firing wide on the follow-up.

After the hour mark, Borough almost doubled their lead. A hopeful throw came in from the right and was allowed to bounce, with Zak Tarrant getting in between defender and keeper but his effort came back off the foot of the post.

And they should have made it 2-0 moments later. Hadzic did well to close down Monks’ clearance and the ball fell to Kennedy, but he skewed wide of the empty net.

Midway through the second half, the Sports had Whiteside to thank for preserving their lead. Khedidji had space outside the area and his strike looked destined for the top corner, but the Borough keeper made a fine save to turn the ball over.

Khedidji then managed to drive inside from the right hand side and wiggle through a congested area before being denied by Whiteside as the Sports survived another scare with 15 minutes to go.

With time ticking down, the Sports had a chance to double their lead on the counter attack, but Hadzic pulled his effort wide of the far post with options in the centre.

With two minutes to go, Whiteside again saved the day for Borough with a superb save to keep out Quaye’s header from close range.