Luton Town v Eastbourne BoroughA HOME clash with Eastbourne Borough did not exactly set my pulses racing, but this is the Blue Square Premier and alas we must face such opposition.

Of course, nothing but a home win would be good enough against a side with a far smaller playing budget than ourselves.

In the car on the way to Bedfordshire, Batesy and I spoke of how we couldn’t believe we were playing Eastbourne Borough in a league match – Eastbourne Borough!  I would put here no disrespect to Eastbourne, but to be honest it is disrespect to Eastbourne because there is no way a club our size and with our fan base should be playing a club like Eastbourne Borough in a league game!

We arrived in Luton at 1.45pm and headed to the “Whitehouse” for a couple of pre-match drinks before walking up to the ground and purchasing a programme and some food.

We settled into our seats and were staggered at the ridiculously small number of travelling fans in the ‘Oak Road’ – possibly the smallest away following for a Luton Town league match ever?  For some reason, more travelling supporters came into the away end at half-time, so they missed the early goal that gave the visitors the lead.  We were stunned – losing at home to Eastbourne Borough?  What the hell?

Thankfully, normal service was resumed as Matthew Barnes-Homer equalised with a nice finish for his first Hatters goal.  At this point, I realised I was going mad celebrating an equaliser against Eastbourne Borough – Eastbourne Borough!  At this point I decided should we score again, I would clap nonchalantly, but certainly not celebrate like I had our equaliser!  I’m not sure what was worse, celebrating an equaliser against Eastbourne Borough or the fact we were actually playing them in the first place.

We quickly followed up our equaliser with two more goals, both scored by Kevin Gallen and both very similar in nature with tap-ins from close range, one after a particularly good run and shot by Barnes-Homer, who was impressing on his full home debut.

Leading 3-1 at the interval, we continued to dominate in the second-half and Eastbourne, backed by their small following that had strangely swelled in numbers at the break, did not pose a threat.

The game was over as a contest when Rossi Jarvis, who impressed throughout and looks slightly rejuvenated under Money, scored a fine goal, playing a one-two before passing the ball into the net at the ‘Kenilworth Road’ end of the ground to seal the three points.

In the end, it was a comfortable victory for the mighty Hatters against poor opposition.  It seems a strange league the Blue Square Premier.  Seems a lot like the Premier League in that you have teams in the same division but that are almost in their own mini leagues.  The likes of Eastbourne, Grays Athletic, Hayes & Yeading in one league and a long way off the top teams like Oxford United, Stevenage Borough and us.
Onwards and upwards!

COME ON YOU HATTERS!

James

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