Eastbourne Borough are learning how to get the best of their new on-loan striker.

Luke Pearce, the 18-year-old brought in from Southampton, scored one goal and made another as Borough won 2-0 at home to in-form Farnborough on Saturday.

Pearce was brought in after Jake Hutchinson, who had shone on loan from Colchester, was unexpectedly relocated to Aldershot.

But Borough boss Danny Bloor says Pearce is more similar in style to Charley Kendall, who played up front last season before moving to Lincoln City, than he is to Hutchinson.

Bloor said: “It has taken him a couple of games, as we would expect, to settle in.

“But then in the second half on Saturday we saw the player we thought he would be.

“He is going to be a major help to us.”

Pearce ran on to a through ball and unsettled defenders before passing to Shiloh Remy for Borough’s opening goal.

Remy delivered a perfect low cross into Pearce’s path for him to tuck away the second.

Bloor said: “He likes to get in behind.

“We just need to readjust a little bit and perhaps we hadn’t done that in his first couple of games with us.

“Massive thanks to Phil Wright at Southampton.

“It’s a Premier League club bending over backwards to help us.”

Bloor believes Pearce also has a lot to gain from the loan deal.

He said: “He gets experience of understanding what is sometimes required.

“He is learning what is required to be successful in this league.

“He is the type of player who needs to play to his strengths, which is playing off the shoulder and getting in behind.”

Borough bounced back from two successive defeats but have won three of their last five league games ahead of tonight’s trip to Hampton and Richmond.

Alex Wynter, Chris Whelpdale, Brad Barry, Greg Luer, James Hammond and Jayden Perez are among players still on the injured list.

Bloor said: “If you took that calibre of players out of any side that we are missing at the moment, it would severely dent anyone’s chances.

"Fortunately, Saturday was the first league game in the last three when we haven’t picked up an injury.”

TUESDAY'S FIXTURES (7.45pm unless stated)

Vanarama National League, south: Hampton and Richmond v Eastbourne Borough, Worthing v Dulwich Hamlet.

Isthmian League, premier division: Hastings v Bowers and Pitsea, Hornchurch v Bognor.

Isthmian League, south-east division: Hythe v Burgess Hill, Sittingbourne v East Grinstead, Three Bridges v Sevenoaks.

Velocity Trophy, semi-final: Potters Bar v Whitehawk.

Southern Combination, premier division: Broadbridge Heath v Little Common, Crowborough v Saltdean, Hassocks v Peacehaven, Horsham YMCA v Eastbourne United (7.30pm).

Southern Combination, division one: Billingshurst v Godalming, Oakwood v Hailsham.

Peter Bentley Cup: Loxwood v dorking Wanderers .