Eastbourne Borough fans return - but now face a new wait

Things were as they should be at Priory Lane last Saturday / Picture: Lydia Redman

Last weekend the Sports welcomed 500 home supporters, who revelled in a splendid home victory over league leaders Dartford and t in the simple joy of doing what they always do – a carefully distanced catch-up with old friends, the reassurance of getting back into old routines and cheering on their heroes in the flesh.

The day was a success on all counts, and even Priory Lane’s notorious micro-climate of rain, gales and near-freezing temperatures did not deter the Borough faithful.

It was, as CEO John Bonar said, ‘football as it’s meant to be’.

Picture special as Eastbourne Boro greet fans with a win.

Danny Bloor’s men rose to the occasion, taking an early lead through Charley Kendall and shrugging off a Darts equaliser to claim victory with two terrific late goals by Chris Whelpdale and Joel Rollinson.

The manager was a happy man on all counts.

“It’s great to have the supporters in the ground – we’ve been waiting for it for so long. And of course they saw our team rise to the occasion. I thought as the game went on, the crowd lost their apprehensions and got noisier.

“We had their favourite song about ‘He’s got no hair and we don’t care!’ Well, they can sing that all they want, all the while we’re winning!

“We’re a community club and it’s all about the fans. Hopefully the world and the country are starting to return to normality and today was a real milestone on that road.”

Although current guidelines permit an upper limit of 1,002 spectators, club officials took the prudent view that a maximum crowd of 500 would give a better chance to meet all the safety requirements – and then re-assess and plan for a larger attendance next time.

But that next time will not be until Monday, December 28, when Maidstonevisit Priory Lane in National South. Before then, the Sports – who fell to an undeserved 2-1 defeat at Dulwich Hamlet on Tuesday night (report at eastbourneherald.co.uk) – face life on the road.

Tomorrow (Sat) they travel to Essex to take on Concord Rangers, a fixture which Bloor will regard as winnable.