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James Edwards
A battling performance in mid-field

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Borough Scorers : Bircumshaw 60 (pen)
Borough Man of The Match : James Edwards

Borough's excellent start to their first Dorset Premier season ended with a 4-1 away defeat at the hands of Gillingham Town where they were undone by three early strikes, which left them with an almost impossible task to salvage something out of the game.

Playing up the slope in the first half Borough had their share of the early exchanges but went behind to a cheeky lob from outside the box by Loric Herouard after 8 minutes, which dropped over the head of keeper Paul Maitland and into the net.

The Hornets created a couple of half chances but went further behind on 20 minutes when a quick through ball left the Borough defence looking for an offside flag as a home forward ran through and took the ball past Maitland before slotting home. A minute later Borough were three down as the defence was stretched again by a quick attack down the right leading to a dangerous centre and shot which was handled by Sean Leaton in the area. Although Maitland got a hand to the resulting penalty he could not keep it out.

Borough came close on 25 minutes, when Scott Smith carved out enough space on the left to send in a low cross and a home defender just managed to make enough contact with the ball to steer it away from Matt Bircumshaw as he looked to connect. The Borough defence tightened up well but Maitland was called upon to make a smart save 5 minutes from the break, diving low to his left to push the ball past the post.

HT 0-3

Early in the second period Borough were again unfortunate when the home keeper dropped a left wing cross but Smith on the far post just failed to squeeze the ball pas a defender on the line. They did, however, pull a goal back from the penalty spot in 60 minutes after Scott Arnold was adjudged to have been impeded in the area by the home keeper, Bircumshaw converted the spot kick.

Despite continued Borough pressure they were unable to break down the home defence and Gillingham restored the three goal lead 10 minutes from time when Maitland was challenged as he came out to collect a through pass and the resulting loose ball fell kindly for the home striker to tap home. With time running out, Maitland was called upon to make one final save at full stretch to preserve the score line.

Borough : Paul Maitland, James Edwards, Mark Reeks, Sean Clarke, Sean Leaton (Jamie Townsend 69), Kieron Wall, Danny Saxby, Matt Bircumshaw (James Morrell 80), Scott Smith, Scott Arnold, Dan Herrington. Unused sub : Shane Milne.