Ninety minutes away! Eastbourne Borough one game from FA Cup first round

Eastbourne Borough have been in decent form - they drew with Chelmsford at Priory Lane last time out / Picture: Andy Pelling

The Sports have not got past the fourth qualifying round since 2016, when goals from Jamie Taylor and Nat Pinney earned them a shock 2-1 victory at Aldershot Town. Now, Bloor’s side is building momentum and showing real promise – but for the third season running, Hamlet stand in their way.

Two years ago, Borough won a 4-3 thriller at the Lane in the third qualifying round, but last season the south Londoners claimed a 3-0 victory at Champion Hill. The victors tomorrow will earn £9,000 andthe chance of a dream tie against a Portsmouth or a Sunderland.

“We expect nothing less than a tough game. We know Dulwich well, we’ve had them watched and we will be well prepared.

“Dulwich are a known quantity – as we are to them – and that helps to a degree. When you play a lower-league club, as in our last round against

Sheppey, there’s always a danger of under-estimating, and elements of surprise or giant-killing. This one will be, in a sense, a National South game with an added dimension.”

Bloor said it was impossible to predict what sort of game would ensue. “It will probably be tight. We have plenty of goals in us this season, and all players love going forward, whether it’s in an FA Cup match or a training five-a-side.

“But it’s just as important that we don’t concede. We’ve had five games in a fortnight, so we have had to learn quickly - and only Dorking Wanderers have scored more than one goal against us. On Saturday, a very good Chelmsford side came at us very strongly, and we showed real steel and defensive resilience.”

Bloor is pleased with how players throughout his team are performing and has a fully-fit squad, with lethal striker Greg Luer expected to be back in contention after sitting out the Chelmsford game with a tight hamstring. In the last FA Cup round, Luer came off the bench against Sheppey United to turn the match.

Sadly there will be no fans present but following a successful operation for the Chelmsford City game, Borough’s media team plan to stream the Cup game live. See the club website for details.