Boss Beard unfazed by testing times for Eastbourne Borough

Borough settled for a point on Danny Bloor’s return to Priory Lane with Welling last Saturday, the match finishing 2-2 after the hosts had led 1-0 then trailed 2-1.

Beard said it was probably a fair result but he was disappointed his team had not made the most of taking a 1-0 lead into the break.

The stiff tests keep coming for Borough – who sit 17th after ten games but are only seven points off the play-off zone – and tomorrow brings a rearranged trip to Taunton Town, who are fourth and have lost only one league match.

Beard has been hit by a series of injuries to key players – the latest a hamstring problem which saw forward Leone Gravata come off early in the Welling game and will mean he is absent for around a fortnight.

That’s on top of injuries to the likes of Brad Barry and Stefan Vukoje, while Sam Beard is suspended.

Boss Beard said: “Being 2-1 down with four minutes to go, I’d have taken a draw. We showed a bit of character to get back into it.

"But I’m disappointed in that we were 1-0 up at half-time and we started the second half on the front foot. We created a couple of chances and were pressing them but we didn’t capitalise and we got a bit sloppy."

Beard felt confidence – or rather a lack of it – could have been a factor in the side losing their way against Welling. And he admitted his decision to change the team’s shape could have played a part too.

But he is fairly relaxed about their overall form. "We’ve only lost one league game in September and I’m not worried about the table this early,” he said.

“The fans have been excellent home and away and can see what we’re trying to do.”

The succession of injuries the Sports have suffered have led to Beard trying to dip back into the transfer market. But he said it was difficult to recruit well once the season was at this stage, and a couple of potential signings had fallen through in the past couple of days.

Eastbourne host SCFL side Billingshurst in the Sussex Senior Cup on Tuesday.