Two wonder goals were enough for Eastbourne Borough to get all three points, beating Weston 2-1 despite a Dayle Grubb equaliser.
The first opportunity went Eastbourne’s way when Lloyd Humphries blocked a Decarrey Sheriff half-volley inside the area, before a low first-time Dayle Grubb shot outside the area was held by Ben Dudzinski in the Eastbourne goal following a Marlon Jackson layoff. Sam Beard then had a chance when Jack Clarke found him on the left with a diagonal pass, leading to the left-back flashing a shot past the far post when cutting inside.
Jacob Jagger Cane fired over from the edge of the box following a Jackson layoff inside the area, before Beard volleyed over from a similar angle down the other end when an outswinging Imran Uche cross dropped his way. Billy Vigar then had a low left-footed shot inside the area tipped around the post by the fingertips of Luke Purnell.
Jack Paxman curled a free-kick over the bar from the edge of the area as Eastbourne looked to find the opener.
The Sports were to get the opener in dramatic fashion when a Weston throw was nodded inside by Uche to Beard 30 yards from the Weston goal. The defender took one touch to set himself before firing a strike into the top corner of Purnell’s goal, the Weston keeper managing to get a touch to the effort yet unable to keep it out.
Weston went close in the second half when Grubb delivered an excellent free-kick for James Dodd to attack, whose header was pushed aside by Dudzinski.
The Seagulls were to get their equaliser from the resulting corner when Jordan Bastin’s delivery was half-cleared to Grubb on the edge of the area, who lashed a shot back through the crowd of bodies on his left foot and past Dudzinski into the corner.
Weston looked to get their noses in front when a Jackson header from Grubb’s corner was straight at the keeper, before Dudzinski then tipped over a Reid half-volley as he held off his marker from Jackson’s cross. Bastin then had a chance when found in behind by a Pope pass, but his dink over Dudzinski was narrowly over the bar.
The hosts were to get back into the lead though when a Leone Gravata cross found substitute Yaser Kasim on the edge of the box, and he lashed a first-time shot past Purnell into the top corner.
FT: Eastbourne Borough 2-1 Weston (Beard 45+3, Kasim 73 – Grubb 52)
Attendance: 1,191.
Weston XI: Purnell, Thomas, Pope, Jagger Cane (Murray 45+1), Humphries, Avery, Edwards (Bastin 32), Jackson (Soule 77), Grubb (C), Reid. Unused substitutes: Lee, James.
MOTM: Sam Avery.