Our final fixture of 2025 on Tuesday evening brings relatively local rivals Eastbourne Borough to the Yeomans Community Stadium for a 7.45pm kick-off.
Eastbourne are now in their 15th consecutive season in the National League South having been relegated from Conference National in 2011. In that time they’ve twice made the play-offs, losing to Oxford City in the 2022 eliminator and to Maidstone United in the 2025 semi-final, having been one of five clubs who could have won the title on the final day of the season.
Eastbourne, many people’s favourites to be in and around the play-off places, were surprisingly in the bottom four after significant investment had taken them into being as a full-time club when Tommy Widdrington replaced Matt Gray after 10 games without a win from the start of the season. Widdrington, the ex-Aldershot boss, had been the manager at Priory Lane from 2012 to 2017.
Borough have continued to struggle and have been in the bottom four all season and on Boxing Day suffered defeat at home to bitter rivals, Worthing, losing by 3-0.
Prior to that, their previous game was away to an injury hit Dover Athletic, and they showed no mercy, beating them 5-2. That was their third away win, having also beaten Maidenhead United and Enfield Town on their travels, but, like the Angels, they only have one home win in the league.
Midfielder Kai Corbett was reportedly Eastbourne’s best player at Dover. He joined the club in October from Aldershot where he was in the squad which won the FA Trophy at Wembley in May. He has also played for Scunthorpe United and Chelmsford City.
Craig Eastmond, a 35 year-old midfielder, was brought to the club from Sutton United where he had made 350 appearances, including promotion to the EFL and a Wembley final.
Leading the front line, Pemi Aderoju is the man to watch. A loanee from Peterborough United, he scored two penalties against Dover to take his total for the season to 18 in league and cup including four in the match against Hampton and Richmond. Alongside him, one of the National League South’s top scorers of recent years, George Alexander, son of one of Alan Dunne’s former Millwall team mates Gary Alexander, may feature.
Last season’s corresponding fixture brought much controversy as Women’s Super League referee Emily Heaslip controversially sent off Tonbridge’s Garrett Kelly after just three minutes and later Luca Botti in a 2-0 defeat which ended a run of five straight wins over Eastbourne.
Admission prices for Tuesday’s game are: Adults £18; Concessions £15; Youths £8 and Under-12’s free with accompanying adult with tickets available HERE
Gates open at 6 pm with the Sports Bar open from the outset with Carling at £4.50 per pint or £8 for two pints. Happy hour between 6pm and 7pm, has all draught beer at £1 off. The Tea Hut serving burgers, hot dogs, butties, hot and cold drinks and Fries Like An Angel, serving all your favourite loaded chips are also open from 6 pm. The Pie Shack opens from 6.30 pm. After the game, the Sports Bar will be open for a limited amount of time. The staff and players will be in attendance with the Player of the Match presentation.
We wish everyone a happy, healthy New Year and enjoy the game!
