Borough sealed a thrilling four-three victory versus Poole with the final kick of the match; getting maximum points from a tough opening game of the season.

After an early Pat Suraci shot and a succession of Poole corners, Gosport took the lead in the seventh minute as the ball was played to Bradley Tarbuck. The attacker drove into the penalty area and beat his man, with his low angled shot deflecting past visiting keeper Mark Childs.

It was two nil after nineteen minutes when Harry Kavanagh’s cross was deflected into the path of Bouwe Bosma, whose shot was deflected out for a corner. From this set piece Theo Lewis simply rose highest and nodded home into the net past a stranded Poole defence.

The visitors did pull one back three minutes later when Joshua Carmichael delivered an out-swinging cross into the penalty area, which was met by a header from Tony-James Lee into the top corner over home keeper Aaron White. Poole should have been level minutes later when Jack Dickson fed Carmichael but the winger put his shot over from twelve yards.

The remainder of the first period was dominated by Gosport, who saw Tarbuck feed Lewis in space; the midfielder firing wide of the post. On 37 minutes Suraci curled a shot wide of the post to end the first half chances, with Borough winning two-one at the half time whistle.

After a ten minute spell of injuries and late tackles, Poole were level on 58 minutes when Dickson broke through the defence and fired home into the bottom corner. In a further Gosport blow, Harry Kavanagh was injured and needed to be stretchered off the pitch to be replaced by Joe Lea.

Borough were lucky not to be behind on 64 minutes when a cross found Jamie Whisken, with the volley brilliantly saved by home keeper White over the bar. Down the other end several minutes later, a free kick from Suraci missed everybody as it curled harmlessly wide from an angle

Poole took the lead on eighty-four minutes when a cross from the right was played into the corridor of uncertainty; Lee reacting quickest of the crowded area and tapped home to seal a comeback that at some points looked decisive.

In the second minute of stoppage time, Gosport equalised when Sirigui Dembele ran towards goal and floated a cross into the penalty area. With two men on him Dan Wooden delicately headed into the far corner to spark relieved celebrations around Privett Park.

And the drama wasn’t yet finished as Gosport snatched the three points with their final chance on 97 minutes. It came from a cross down the right that was deflected into the path of Tarbuck on the edge of the area, with the attacker scoring his second goal with a calm finish into the bottom left.

The referee blew his final whistle soon afterwards, ending a thrilling afternoon of football at Privett Park to start the new campaign. We will now face Walton Casuals on Tuesday night away before another trip to Weston-Super-Mare next Saturday.