Dr Martens Premier: Eastbourne Borough boss Garry Wilson believes his side were robbed of a last minute penalty against Crawley.

Borough met their Sussex rivals for the first time ever at Priory Lane last night.

Crawley dominated the first half and took the lead on 17 minutes through defender Kevin Hemsley.

Danny Simmonds hit an 82nd minute equaliser for the home side but Wilson was left fuming after Crawley escaped what looked to be a clear handball by Nigel Brake in injury time.

Wilson said: "It was absolutely blatant and I don't know how the referee didn't see it. The shot came in and the Crawley player palmed the ball down, so we are disappointed because that could have won us the game.

"Having said that, I am pleased with the point because Crawley are a very good side."

Crawley boss Francis Vines was just as angry after seeing his side let their first half lead slip.

The visitors looked in control for large periods of the game but were left with their backs to the wall in a frantic last ten minutes.

Vines said: "There are no excuses from my players. We knew how Eastbourne were going to play and we told the players what to expect but we still got caught out.

"I am very disappointed with the performance because we should have won 1-0. We didn't though, so I will be asking some very serious questions of the players because it was not good enough."

The two sides could not have had a more contrasting build up to the game. Borough, who were out to avenge last season's Sussex Senior Cup defeat by Crawley, were on the back of a 4-0 defeat against Nuneaton, their first loss of the season.

They were given a boost before kick off, however, as key players Scott Ramsay and Ben Austin were declared fit after missing Saturday's defeat through injury.

Crawley were full of confidence after beating promotion contenders Worcester 4-0 at home, which marked Vines' first game in charge this season after a two- week holiday.

Vines made just one enforced change after captain Marc Pullen was ruled out with a back injury and was replaced by Ellis Hooper.

Carl Wilson-Denis and Daniel Marney, who had combined to score all the goals against Worcester, continued up front after Albion manager Steve Coppell agreed to extend their loans.

It was Wilson-Denis who threatened first on ten minutes as Crawley made a positive start. The former Kingstonian striker used his power and pace to turn marker Stuart Playford before curling a shot from 20 yards inches wide of the right hand post.

Wilson-Denis then showed his aerial prowess to create the first goal of the game after 17 minutes. Brake crossed from the left and Wilson-Denis neatly headed down for former Seagulls trainee Hemsley who gave home keeper Lee Hook no chance with a low first time finish from seven yards.

Borough immediately pushed forward in a bid to get back on level terms and they almost did with two excellent chances in three minutes. Both came from dangerous corners by home skipper Daren Pearce and both fell to the head of Playford.

Crawley withstood the brief flurry by the home side and it was not long before they carved out more chances to extend their lead before the break.

First Mo Harkin sped an angled volley from the right wing just past the post on the half hour mark, then the energetic Marney hit a similar shot which flashed past the opposite upright.

Things got worse for Borough five minutes before half time when Ramsay went down after a heavy challenge by Hooper and limped off with a recurrence of his hamstring injury and was replaced by Mark Goodwin.

Crawley made a change at half time with Ian Payne replacing Craig Dean but it did not alter the pattern of play as Reds continued to dominate possession.

As Reds pushed up, however, Borough almost hit back with a quick counter attack just past the hour mark. Simmonds beat the offside trap to go clean through on goal before being robbed by a last ditch tackle by the back-tracking Payne. The ball ran loose to Goodwin who had his shot from 12 yards smothered by keeper Andy Little.

Both sides made changes on 65 minutes with John Westcott replacing Steve Yates for Borough, while Peter Fear came on for Crawley in place of Robert Smith.

Reds then brought off Wilson-Denis six minutes later and replaced him with striker Fabian Forde, who is due to link up with the Barbados under-23 side this weekend.

The equaliser finally came on 82 minutes when Simmonds smashed home an unstoppable shot from the edge of the box after Pearce's corner had not been cleared.

Simmonds could have snatched a late winner in the final minute when he was left unmarked at the back post but he somehow headed Goodwin's cross wide.

Eastbourne Borough: Hook, Baker, Tuck, Smart, Playford, Austin, Yates (sub Westcott 66), Pearce, Ramsay (sub Goodwin 40), Simmonds, Crabb. Subs not used: White, Ducille, Stevens.

Crawley: Little, Judge, Dean (sub Payne 46), Hemsley ,Hooper, Smith (sub Fear 66), Harkin, Armstrong, Marney, Wilson-Denis (sub Forde 71), Brake. Subs not used: Holmes, West.

Referee: Matthew Knight (Hove).

Attendance: 1,239.