It was a fourth pre-season win out of four for the Shots who, despite stepping up the quality of their opponents with an Eastbourne Borough side that came close to promotion to the National League last season, had a relatively comfortable evening as Josh Barrett, Maxwell Mullins and Hady Ghandour scored in a 3-0 win.
With just five minutes on the clock, Tyler Frost was pulled back as he drove inside towards the box and a free-kick was awarded on the edge of the box, Josh Barrett stepped up and looped his effort over the wall and past Jamie Searle to give the Shots an early lead
For the next 20 minutes, both sides had a couple of promising attacks that failed to lead to any clear-cut chances and the only point of interest was James Henry receiving treatment and being replaced by Keane Anderson as a precaution in the 23rd minute.
But in the 27th minute, the Shots doubled their advantage with the second real chance of the game. Barrett showed some neat footwork in the middle and spread the play out to Tyler Frost on the left and his cross to the back-post found Maxwell Mullins to head home.
Pemi Anderoju had the first chance to threaten Pat Nash in the Shots goal almost straight after Eastbourne conceded, but his powerful effort was over the bar and other than looking comfortable with his feet and in his distribution, the young Shots stopper had a fairly quiet first 45.
And other than a near-own goal from an Eastbourne defender after some good work from Barrett down the left, there were no other chances of note from either side before the half-time whistle.
HALF-TIME
Kiban Rai was introduced at the break alongside a change in goal for the Shots and his first few touches almost brought a goal as he was denied by the Eastbourne ‘keeper on the turn six minutes into the second-half.
An unfortunate swipe at thin air from this evening’s trialist allowed a home attacker in on goal minutes later but he blasted his effort out of the stadium.
Barrett almost scored a second spectacular goal after showing brilliant feet on the edge of the box to beat his marker twice and leave him stranded on the floor, but his powerful effort was just past the post.
Rai and Cameron Hargreaves came close with efforts from distance that just evaded the target, but the Shots’ pre-season goal machine, Hady Ghandour got his fifth in the last three games and his side’s third of the evening in the 67th minute.
Not long after coming on together, Tristan Abrahams and Ghandour linked up to devastating effect as Abrahams raced down the left and delivered a perfect low cross for Ghandour to finish from close-range.
Abrahams then had a golden opportunity to get himself on the scoresheet as he tried to lob the ‘keeper but getting brought down as his effort bounced wide, he was awarded a penalty. He stepped up to take it himself but had his spot kick saved as the Shots missed a second penalty in two pre-season fixtures.
Attendance: 542
Shots lineup: 13. Pat Nash (1. Marcus Dewhurst, 46′), 5. Trialist (28. Archy Taylor, 61′), 6. Theo Widdrington (C)(7. Cameron Hargreaves, 63′), 8. Tyler Frost (26. Joe Lewis-Evans, 71′), 9. Kwame Thomas (23. Hady Ghandour, 63′), 10. Josh Barrett (30. Tristan Abrahams, 63′), 14. Jed Meerholz, 17. James Henry (12. Keane Anderson, 23′), 19. Ryan Hill (18. Kiban Rai, 46′), 24. Maxwell Mullins (20. Haydon Vaughan, 67’), 32. James Clarridge.
