Eastbourne Borough chairman gives verdict on season – as Danny Bloor tries to guide team to play-offs

Writing in the match programme for this Saturday’s crucial home game with Hemel Hempstead Town, Blackmore is full of praise for his manager, players, and all who help to keep the Priory Lane operations humming.

“Everybody at the club is fully behind Danny and the team - striving to get into those last play-off spots to give ourselves a chance, and it is sure to be an exciting end to the season for all the right reasons.”

48 photos by Lydia and Nick Redman from Eastbourne Borough’s mixed Easter schedule.

And taking stock, Blackmore looks back as well as forward. “When I took over as Chairman, it was during a season that saw us cling on to survival with the last kick of the last game.

“Since then, and since appointing Danny, we have always been in the fight for play offs despite all the financial struggles – and a playing budget smaller than most in National South.

“The fan base has grown with every season, and our squads seem to just get better every season. The atmosphere around the entire club, not just on the playing side, is admired and envied by most who visit Priory Lane and this is something we should all be proud of.

Management, playing staff, support staff, stewards, bars and catering staff, volunteers – and you the fans – are what makes this club so special. It is a true honour to be Chairman of a club full of such wonderful people.”

Like all sport, football is live and unscripted – and the Sports experienced its lurching highs and lows over the Easter weekend. A massive Good Friday crowd revelled in a game as sparkling as the sunshine at the SO Legal Community Stadium, as second-half goals from Leone Gravata and Luke Pearce turned around a half-time deficit to defeat high-riding Dartford.

The victory extended Borough’s unbeaten run to five games and nudged Bloor’s team ever nearer to a play-off place. But on a dour wet Easter Monday at strugglers Welling United, Borough failed to re-ignite, losing a low-quality game 1-0. The manager kept it in perspective.

“You’re never, ever going to win every game of football. The boys had put huge effort into the Dartford victory, and this trip was a tough ask. Welling put a stern test up for us, and well done to them. We had chances but it didn’t quite click.

“We have three games left, and be assured we will steel every nerve and strain every sinew to win all three, and give ourselves a chance of the highest possible placing in the table.”

Following Saturday’s meeting with mid-table Hemel Hempstead, Borough have a week to prepare for their final away trip, to fellow play-off contenders Braintree – and then on the 29th, the last day of league fixtures, they entertain bottom club Concord Rangers at the Lane. Three victories – and probably nothing less – could see them into the National South play-offs. It ain’t over till it’s over…