Sevenoaks Town 5-0 Eastbourne Town - I think if we apply our best version of us, we put ourselves in a good position, says Sevenoaks Town manager Marcel Nimani

Sevenoaks Town 5 – 0 Eastbourne Town
Location	Greatness Park, Mill Lane, Seal Road, Sevenoaks, Kent TN14 5BX
Kickoff	23/09/2026 19:30

SEVENOAKS TOWN  5-0  EASTBOURNE TOWN
Isthmian League South East Division
Wednesday 23 September 2026
Stephen McCartney reports from Greatness Park

SEVENOAKS TOWN manager Marcel Nimani says he is feeling bundles of joy and happiness for club chairman Paul Lansdale after the grand opening of the new clubhouse at Greatness Park.

The £2.2 million structure was officially opened on Saturday when Margate were defeated here 2-1 – which was Sevenoaks Town’s first Isthmian League South East Division victory of the season and they sealed back-to-back victories thanks to clinical finishing against Eastbourne Town tonight.

Jude MacDonald’s side thumped newly-promoted side Horley Town 7-0 at home at the weekend but they were torn apart by the OUTSTANDING left-winger Courtney Barrington, 27, who scored a hat-trick before striker Nathan Jeche, 21, scored a second half brace.

Eastbourne Town were reduced to ten-men when substitute right-sided centre-half Johnny Jay Walker was sent off for violent conduct.

Eastbourne Town’s right-back Alfie Simmons suffered a torrid evening for the 52 minutes that he was on the pitch as Barrington produced a stand-out performance for the 65 minutes that he was impressing out on the wing.

“Clinical. I’d sum it up; we were very clinical tonight.  I’ve often been frustrated that through our play, we’ve created lots of chances but we don’t always convert them.  That’s obviously not a bad point in my view but we were clinical tonight and ultimately always define a game and if you’re clinical, that’s what you get,” said Nimani.

“I think if you don’t score those early goals, that could turn over easily. I think they’re a very good side and I think you noticed that once they sussed our shape after 15 minutes, I didn’t think they got on top of us and it became a game of duals and it became a game of physicality and you have to give credit to the opposition.

“I thought between 15 minutes to about 30 to the 40^th minute, I thought they were the better team. They were dualling really well, they were winning seconds, they were winning firsts and they were getting in behind us, albeit they didn’t score or create chances.

“In the actual middle of the pitch, I think they were better than us, so I think they were a very difficult team to play against.”

The Oaks created their first opening after only 77 seconds when Barrington put it on a plate from within the channel to set up an unmarked Jeche, who sent his right-footed volley past the far post from six-yards when he really should have opened the floodgates.

“Good move wasn’t it? It’s a great move, lead to a good penetration to the box and Nathan made contact and unfortunately he just struck it wide,” said Nimani.

Sevenoaks Town didn’t have to wait long, as they took the lead with two minutes and 28 seconds on the clock.

Right-winger James Jeffrey was on fire in the opening stages of this eighth-tier game, pinging the ball with his left-foot.

Jeffrey found himself off the flank and he pinged a sublime first time curling through ball to split open right-sided centre-half Nathan Hover and Simmons to put Barrington through and his clinical right-footed drive across the keeper nestled into the bottom far corner.

“A good switch of play. We spoke about that to our players. When you receive it from one end of the pitch, we’re looking to complete the switch to the other side and JJ switched the play, Courtney’s through and a great finish from Courtney,” said Nimani.

Sevenoaks Town doubled their lead with their next attack, timed at eight minutes and 13 seconds, as the start of the game was played at a frenetic pace.

Jeffrey cut in from the right and flicked a short pass into attacking midfielder Jed Borders, who switched a sublime right-footed diagonal over to Barrington, who cut in towards the edge of the penalty area before drilling a right-footed angled drive into the top far corner.

“Again, switch of play to the opposite winger, one-v-one. We looked at their full-backs and we felt that Courtney’s athleticism, in particular Courtney’s agility, when he can manoeuvre his body around in tight spaces will get the best out of their full-back and I felt he did that tonight.”

When asked whether it was his game-plan to hit Eastbourne fast and early, Nimani replied, “Not necessarily fast and early. The game plan was that the way we scored the first two goals was the patterns that we worked on. They play a diamond shape and we felt that if we can do through a switch of play and diagonal play from one end of the pitch to the other, we’ll get a lot of success in wide areas.

“We scored two and we could’ve even scored one before that, so the patterns was the plan tonight. The first two goals would be the best replica of that.”

Barrington was clearly impressing scouts that attended the game and Nimani added, “Like his stats show, Courtney was clinical tonight.”

Eastbourne’s holding midfielder Eliot Jenks floated a free-kick from within the centre-circle and Oliver Deda came up from the back and guided his free header bouncing into the midriff of home keeper Harry Brooks for a comfortable save.

Eastbourne Town started to control proceedings and Simmons’ first of two long throws came in from the right-wing and the ball was cleared out to striker Aaron Hopkinson, who smacked his right-footed volley over the crossbar from 25-yards, while left in space.

MacDonald deployed a front three of Hopkinson (as a nine) and Sonny Walsh (beside him) and Alfie Rogers played behind them in a front triangle three, a diamond three in midfield and a back four.

Eastbourne Town missed a glorious chance to pull a goal back following their first of two corners with 27:30 on the clock.

Left-back Jack Murphy’s initial delivery from the right failed to beat the first man and the ball came back out to him and his second kick was of much better quality and he whipped the ball in from within the channel towards the edge of the six-yard box where Jenks sent his free-header over the crossbar.

“I mean, that’s the definition of being clinical. If they score that, it would be a completely different game,” admitted Nimani.

“Really poor from us, I felt, because we’ve spoken to them about not switching off on the seconds. We tend to win the first contacts on set-pieces but it’s the seconds we were quite poor.”

Eastbourne Town linked up well down the left with a half-chance when Rogers played the ball down the line to Murphy, who whipped in a first-time cross from the wing towards the near-post where Walsh sent his downward header wide of the left-hand post.

You felt that the Sussex coastal side were going to score the next goal and Simmons whipped in a cross from within the right-channel towards the near-post where the five-goal Walsh hooked his right-footed shot past the right-hand post from six-yards with 39:50 on the clock.

“Yes, I think they (Eastbourne) put a lot of energy and effort in closing us down once they sussed our shape and I think that came at a cost towards the end because they were fatigued and I think that’s one of the benefits is when you keep the ball is that you might not get success straight away but it’s the lateral part of the game when you get the success,” explained Nimani.

“We spoke (at half-time) about the players’ about their two different types of mindsets. There’s a mindset where you celebrate moments and then you switch off because you’ve had your joyous moments or there’s a mindset where you’re ambitious and you go game after game and the ambition to win every game so you have something to celebrate at the end of the season and pretty made the players showed that side of mindset.”

With Nimani’s words from inside the new home dressing room still ringing in the Sevenoaks Town’s players ears, the hosts raced into a four-goal lead after only 48 seconds.

Sevenoaks Town’s two centre-halves Tamas Amgbaduba (four) and Toluope Jonah (five) launched long throws into the penalty area and Simmons (two) and Murphy (five) did so for the visitors’. 

Jonah’s final long throw came in from within the right-channel, the ball was flicked on at the near-post from within a crowd and the ball dropped for Barrington, to stab his right-footed shot past keeper Chris Winterton into the right-hand corner to take his goalscoring tally from one to four this evening.

“Good reaction play there, that’s all you can call that, good, good reaction play, hunters instinct.  Forwards, that’s what they need, hunters instinct, toed it in top corner, kills the game off,” added Nimani.

Devastating Sevenoaks Town produced a good move to score their fourth goal of the night with three minutes and 21 seconds on the clock, as Eastbourne Town capitulated.

The quiet Jaden Perez played a first-time pass to release the best player on the pitch and Barrington easily cut inside Simmons yet again before putting it on a plate at the back post where Jeche flicked the ball into the bottom right-hand corner with the outside of his right-foot from a couple of yards.

“Pretty much, he made up for that first minute same action. This time he was more accurate,” admitted Nimani, who was asked whether he was pleased with the scoreline at this stage of the game.

“Of course, but during the game you don’t feel pleased. During the game you’re looking ‘what can I do now to manage the game?’  What can I do to influence the game, so you’re never really celebrating during the game. It’s the outcome at the end that were’ after, so during the game we’re focused what we can do now to influence the game.”

Eastbourne Town started to have a bit of a go and Walsh and Austin Pugh linked up inside the Sevenoaks half before the ball was worked out to the unmarked Simmons, who drilled a speculative 30-yarder across the keeper and harmlessly wide of the far post.

Sevenoaks Town keeper Brooks ensured he maintained his clean-sheet with a brilliant reaction save with 12:46 on the clock.

An unpressed Murphy whipped in a great cross from the left-flank and substitute striker Aaron Capon struck his right-footed volley straight at the keeper, who made a save at point-blank range.

Nimani said: “I was disappointed that we conceded that chance, if I’m honest with you and that’s the prime example of when I speak to you about once you’re winning, you can get quite complacent and that’s why you saw the energy on the touchline from me tonight because I’m trying to avoid players’ being complacent and that action was an example.”

Nimani explained why Brooks was to be the fifth player to be substituted for 17-year-old goalkeeper Archie Howard (42:13-46:45, second half), who didn’t have to make a single save, only to watch a cross fly across him and behind for a goal-kick.

“He’s just a young lad, isn’t he?  He’s been with us for two years’ now and it’s difficult to get goalkeepers on the pitch, so I just looked at the goalkeeping coach (Julian Leigh) and it’s the perfect opportunity to give him some minutes, just to calm his nerves really. He’s not even 18, he turns 18 actually in two weeks’ time, so I just felt like it’s the perfect opportunity for him to get a cap.”

Tolupoe launched a long ball over the top to put Jeche through on goal but his shot flashed across the face of goal instead of troubling Winterton.

Eastbourne’s substitute holding midfielder Harvey Greig played the ball out to Murphy on the left and he fed Walsh, whose right-footed shot on the turn from 25-yards bounded comfortably into Brooks’ gloves.

Nimani brought on central midfielder Noah Carney and his through ball split open Eastbourne’s two centre-halves (Deda and Walker) to put Jeche through on goal and he clinically rolled the ball into the bottom right-hand corner with his right-boot to score his eighth goal of the season – with 22:43 on the clock.

“Nathan is still a young lad, isn’t he, so the finishing touches of a striker comes with age and experience,” said Nimani.

“Striker’s don’t actually peak until their 28 or 29 so it’s quite frightening. If Nathan utilises his platform well, it’s quite frightening what he can achieve.”

A deck pass from Amgbaduba from midfield saw Carney and Parez link up in the final third and Carney cut inside and curled his right-footed shot towards the far corner, which Winterton dived to his left to make a flying save (29:16) and the 37-year-old stopper also denied substitute striker Jordon Ababio with a low save to his right.

“The subs’ know that if you’re on the bench the only thing you can do is come on and make sure that you do your bit so the next time round if you play 20 minutes, by playing well you can make it next time round 35 minutes,” explained Nimani.

“If you can play well in 35 minutes, you can make it a start, so Noah came on and made an impact straight away, got an assist and lead to winning a free-kick which then lead to the opposition getting a player sent off.”

Eastbourne shut up shop and went with a 4-5-1 formation with Capon the lone striker but Walker was sent off for violent conduct (41:29).  He fouled Carney and as the Sevenoaks midfielder attempted to get back up, Walker kicked Carney and out came a deserved red, although Jeffrey got involved in handbags with the Eastbourne players too.

“Yes, I didn’t see the kick, I literally saw the foul and I just thought it was a straight foul,” said Nimani.

“Sometimes these are young lads and it was quite emotional and sort of reacted in a way that he’d probably reflect and wish he hadn’t because it wasn’t that sort of game.

“It was just a young man making a rash decision – we’ve all done it and I’m sure he’ll learn from it.

“What pleased me tonight? The maturity of our performance in the last 20 minutes, I’d say that was the highlight.”

With this being the only Isthmian League South East Division game of the night, Sevenoaks Town have climbed up six spots into tenth-place with nine points (two wins, three draws and two defeats), while Eastbourne Town have dropped a couple and are now in fourteenth-place with seven points (two wins, one draw, four defeats).

Nimani hasn’t spoken about his aspirations for the season, despite being only three points clear of the play-offs tonight (Herne Bay in seventh place on 12 points).

“I think until we get to about 15 games, that’s when you have a better idea.  I think the first 10 games is prominently driven by the fixture schedule. If you’re playing some of the bigger teams or you’re playing against some of the lower ability teams, you could get a false representation of where you are, so I don’t know, come and speak to me in about 10 games time.”

Nimani takes his side to newly-promoted side Steyning Town on Saturday, a side that are one spot outside the relegation zone with two wins from six outings.

The bottom four contains Horley Town (six points from six games), Merstham (five points from six games), Crowborough Athletic (three points from five games) and Punjab United (two points from seven).

Whitstable Town (six points from six games), Steyning Town, Horley Town and Punjab United are all promoted sides that all sit inside the bottom six tonight.

“You said they’re fifth-from-bottom but if they beat us on Saturday they could potentially go ahead of us because they’ll be in the same points as us,” said Nimani, who’s side have a vastly better goal-difference.

“The league table means nothing! I know they’re a very technical side and I know they utilise the 3G pitch really well and I know they’re strong at home, so that’s the reason why they got promoted.

“I think they will match us in technical and pattern abilities. It will just go down to whether we have a team who want to celebrate moments and are ambitious and they want to celebrate at the end of the season, be the best version of ourselves and compete. I think if we apply our best version of us, we put ourselves in a good position.”

Nimani revealed that goalkeeper Jordan Perrin (broken foot), Daniel Duncanson (broken collarbone) and Samual Itauma (torn hamstring) are out on the sidelines. Ituma is expected to be out for another four weeks.

Chairman Paul Lansdale has spent the last 11 years getting the new clubhouse from the planning stage to construction at a cost of £2.2 million, although two million of that has come from grants.

Building began in October last year and the club moved in on 10 September and the structure was officially opened for the Margate game at the weekend.

“My thoughts is just a bundle and joy and happiness for the board, for Paul, the chairman and just the people there who worked tirelessly for the last 11 years. These people have gone through a lot to get to this stage.  They’ve invested a big chunk of their life. Remember, these people are volunteers, so I’m just pleased for these people,” added Nimani.

Sevenoaks Town: Harry Brooks (Archie Howard 88), Kevin Diomande, Charlie Dickens (Max Davidson 71), Harvey Brand, Tamas Amgbaduba, Toluope Jonah, Courtney Barrington (Freddie Nyhus 65), Jed Borders (Noah Carney 57), Nathan Jeche (Jordon Ababio 77), Jaden Perez, James Jeffrey.

Goals: Courtney Barrington 3, 9, 46, Nathan Jeche 49, 68

Booked: Jed Borders 20

Eastbourne Town: Chris Winterton, Alfie Simmons (Johnny Jay Walker 52), Jack Murphy, Eliot Jenks, Nathan Hover, Oliver Deda, Austin Pugh (Harvey Greig 54), Luke Emberson (Grey Coleman 68), Aaron Hopkinson (Marcin Ruda 46), Sonny Walsh, Alfie Rogers (Aaron Capon 54).

Booked: Eliot Jenks 70

Sent Off:  Johnny Jay Walker 87

Attendance: 204
Referee: Mr John-Patrick Kane
Assistants: Mr Jamaal Horne & Mr Henry Saxton

Match Duration:
First Half: 45:57
Second Half: 46:56