The Luer of the FA Cup is strong for Eastbourne Borough

The Sports had trailed 1-0 from the tenth minute of their 3rd Qualifying Round tie with Kent side Sheppey United, and their attacking efforts looked blunt, until boss Danny Bloor sent on Luer ten minutes after half-time. And as Borough turned the screw, two goals in two minutes turned the tie. On 67 minutes Leone Gravata and Charlie Walker combined to send Luer free down the right, and the silky striker left tiring defenders for dead as he swerved inside and drilled in a low shot to equalise. Barely two minutes later the Sports were ahead. A lethal cross from left-back Kai Innocent found the back post, where Chris Whelpdale popped in his sixth goal in four games to give his side the lead. And then there was one.... And on 75 minutes, James Ferry found Charlie Walker on the right, and the club skipper’s cross was met with perfect timing by Luer at the front post to put clear water between the sides at 3-1. And, with the job done, Luer – who had not been risked from the start because of a tight hamstring – was himself replaced by final sub Charley Kendall, and trotted off for a well-earned early shower. Half an hour of Greg Luer is all you need! Sheppey had looked far better than a Step Five outfit in the first half, snatching a 10th-minute lead when Billy Bennett was played through by Jack Midson to ping a low shot past Franco Ravizzoli. The Sports huffed and puffed for the rest of the first half but could find no way past the smothering defence of their opponents. The visitors, for all their bravery, could count themselves fortunate not to finish with ten or even nine men. On the stroke of half-time, goalkeeper Adam Molloy handled the ball outside his area to stop the onrushing Joel Rollinson, but referee Shelby Elson and his assistant inexplicably turned a blind eye. And shortly before Luer’s equaliser, Whelpdale was through on goal but brought crashing down by George Crimmen’s last-man foul – penalised only by a yellow card. In the end, it didn't matter. This was no sparkling five-star display by Danny Bloor’s men, but sometimes you sacrifice the artistry for the tenacity, and the performance for the result. Borough will bank an invaluable £5625 - and they are now just one game away from the First Round Proper. The Fourth Qualifying draw takes place on Thursday lunchtime.