Eastbourne Borough boss Steve King delivered a candid assessment of his side after their 3–1 defeat to Ebbsfleet United, admitting his players are currently “individuals rather than a group”.
Borough started brightly against one of the division’s promotion contenders and even took the lead in spectacular fashion with a stunning 35-yard strike. They nearly doubled their advantage soon after, but the visitors gradually took control before punishing a series of costly mistakes.
King was left frustrated that his side’s hard work was undone by avoidable errors.
“We started the game really well and scored a fantastic goal,” he said. “Then we had another opportunity to go 2–0, the keeper made a good save. But the two goals we gave them were just disbelief for me.”
The Borough manager pointed to a defensive lapse from a corner that allowed an Ebbsfleet player to volley home unmarked.
“We set up man-for-man at corners. Everyone had a number to mark and then they just ran off and left him,” King explained. “He stood there and volleyed it in with no one within 10 or 15 yards of him. You stay with your man until the set piece is finished.”
A second goal shortly afterwards came from a goalkeeping mistake, turning the match on its head.
With Eastbourne Borough currently rooted to the bottom of the table and facing an uphill battle for survival, King admitted the team’s fragile confidence was evident once they fell behind.
“When a team’s used to losing, it becomes difficult. You almost feel the group go ‘not again’,” he said.
The manager also revealed deeper structural issues within the squad, which has been assembled under several different regimes.
“There are two different sets of managers’ players here,” he said. “Different managers have had different ideas of football, different shapes and different ways of playing.”
Despite Borough’s difficult league position, currently eight points from safety and having played more games than some of their relegation rivals, King insisted he will not give up on the fight.
“I’ve never thrown the towel in,” he said. “It’s not in my nature.“But I’m also a realist. Some things can’t be changed overnight. We need to limit the mistakes because when you give up easy goals you can see the players’ heads drop.”
With another crucial fixture approaching this weekend, Borough will hope to rediscover belief and turn effort into results as they attempt to keep their survival hopes alive.
