Last week all the goals were done in the first-half, but on this occasion they were saved for the second period and unfortunately for the Fleet, the last of them in time added on denied the hosts a win.
Fleet had come back from a goal behind to head towards the final whistle 2-1 ahead but a late mistake cost Josh Wright’s side as Pemi Aderoju hit the equaliser.
An early chance for the Fleet saw Aaron Cosgrave send a low ball into the area in an attempt to pick out Toby Edser in front of goal but Eastbourne bundled that away for a corner.
Eastbourne’s first chance came from a direct shot that was a comfortable save for Mark Cousins at the byline.
Ben Chapman delivered a ball into the box for Tom Dallison but his volleyed effort was wide of the mark before a quick turn down the left flank by Kwesi Appiah allowed him to release a ball into the past of Cosgrave whose effort was cleared away from the line by the Eastbourne defence.
The Fleet defence was then forced into action late on to deny the visitors the opener when Eastbourne applied some pressure in and around the box and Dallison eventually cleared the danger. The last action of the half saw Ben Coker send a shot wide in a match that was badly affected by a strong wind blowing across the pitch and Fleet weren’t helped by losing Josh Passley and Max Ehmer to injuries either.
Fleet continued on top in a slow start to the second-half and it always seemed like Eastbourne’s best chance would come on the counterattack. And they opened the scoring from that route on the hour mark. Fleet saw Gene Kennedy strike on target from a corner but the effort was blocked and Arthur Grout was able to dart forward with the ball into plenty of space before looping a cool effort over the head of Mark Cousins.
But the visitors weren’t celebrating for too long before an instant reply from the Fleet minutes later. Kennedy was involved again when his shot was palmed away by Ryan Sandford but it dropped into the path of Appiah who made no mistake for his third goal of the season.
Aaron Cosgrave just couldn’t turn home a cross as the Fleet went looking for the lead and Chapman went over in the box as Sandford came across him for a tackle. But with 10 minutes left Fleet grabbed what they thought was the winner. Substitute Finlay Barnes, who had only been on the pitch a couple of minutes, carried the ball from midfield before an excellent effort was deflected into the top corner.
The hosts managed the game well in six minutes of added time and Eastbourne didn’t really have a sniff of an equaliser but with 60 seconds left, Cousins’ clearance was blocked by Aderoju who carried on with the ball to slam it into the empty net for 2-2.
EUFC: Cousins, Passley (Kennedy 30), Coker, Olagunju, Ehmer (Fielding 45), Dallison, Hessenthaler, Edser (Barnes 77), Chapman, Cosgrave, Appiah. Subs: Moncur, Peake, Coley, Bellagambi
EBFC: Sandford, Quick, Pitblado, Fairnie, Lintott, Anifowose (Alexander 79), Carter (Davis 83), Grout, Uchegbulam (Anokye 83), Trusty, Aderoju. Subs: Gbadebo, Akinwale, Lanquedoc, Searle
Attendance: 1,395
Photos: ©EUFC : Ed Miller/Tom Harris
