ELLIOTT ROMAIN and Nat Pinney struck for Eastbourne Borough to put a major dent in Whitehawk’s National League south play-off hopes.

Scott Neilson rifled into a bottom corner in added time but it proved nothing more than a consolation.

Tommy Widdrington’s side powered into a 2-0 lead within 17 minutes at the Enclosed Ground against a ring-rusty Hawks, who completed only their second league game this year.

The victory catapulted Borough above Hawks, who are now nine points off the play-off places, albeit with games in hand on all the sides above them.

Widdrington was delighted with his side’s win and performance.

He said: “I felt the honesty and the endeavour we show, not just tonight but in games away that we haven’t won, has been rewarded.

“We rode our luck at times and the goalkeeper has made a couple of great saves but you can’t give teams like us a 2-0 start.

“We’ve dug in as a group and we deserved the win.”

Borough took their tally to 16 goals in six games but Hawks boss Steven King was left cursing the performance of visiting keeper Lewis Carey.

King said: “Their keeper has pulled off four unbelievable saves.

“They are not even half-saves, they are unbelievable saves.”

Borough gave a debut to Callum Buckley, 20, a defender who has joined the club on loan from Premier League Bournemouth.

Hawks could have been forgiven for a slow start as they have only previously started two league games since the beginning of the year – and one of those was abandoned at half-time.

But they had the first chance after two minutes when Danny Mills sliced wide after a Nick Arnold cross.

They were a goal down 60 seconds later, though, as Jamie Taylor saw his shot rebound off a Hawks defender and Romain drilled past Craig Ross.

Just like the previous meeting on Boxing Day, the game was ridiculously open.

Carey produced an excellent reaction save to keep out a Mills header but Ross was equally impressive as he denied Taylor with his feet as Borough broke quickly.

Jake Robinson then rolled an inviting ball across the Borough six-yard area but nobody gambled and another glorious opening went begging.

Borough went 2-0 up in the 17th minute after a Taylor pass put Pinney clean through and he finished superbly.

Neilson should have netted in the 24th minute but somehow he failed to beat Carey from inside the six-yard box from a Robinson cross.

Pinney pulled another shot wide of the far post after Sam Deering gave away the ball to Sam Beale to lead a 40th-minute raid.

Ross then superbly tipped over a Worrall 25-yarder as Borough finished the first half on top.

Carey produced a remarkable save from a deflected Arnold shot four minutes after the break as Hawks started strongly.

And Robinson then curled in an inviting cross which Neilson failed to connect with as Hawks probed for a way back into the game.

When the Hawks did get balls in the area, Borough showed a determination to be first to any second ball and clear their lines.

Hawks must have known it was not their night in the 75th minute when Sergio Torres’ shot was only parried as far as Mills, whose follow-up hit Kiran Khinda-John amid claims for handball and was cleared.

Neilson finally got Hawks on the scoreboard but it was all too little, too late.

Whitehawk: Ross, Arnold, Braham-Barrett, Deering, Lorraine, Leacock, Neilson, Torres, Robinson, West (Morias 62), Mills.

Subs not used: Stevens, Sessegnon, Gotta, Ijaha.

Goal: Neilson 90+2.

Booked: Leacock (foul) 28.

Eastbourne: Carey, Sheppard, Beale, Worrall (Haysman 71), Simpemba, Khinda-John, Buckley, Collier, Pinney (Stone 81), Taylor (McCallum 87), Romain.

Subs not used: Baptista, Bosma.

Goals: Romain 3, Pinney 17.

Booked: Worrall foul 55, Taylor foul 65.

Referee: Lloyd Wood.