Eastbourne Borough’s 2-1 defeat away to Maidstone United was harsh on the Sports as Tommy Widdrington’s side slipped closer to the drop-zone.

The hosts took the lead in the first-half with a goal from Vas Karagiannis; but Darren Lok equalised for Borough on the hour mark; but five minutes later Jamie Coyle scored the winner to take Maidstone into second place.

But the game was overshadowed by Andrew Laver’s blunder in the second-half which caused a heated argument between Widdrington and Laver.

Laver deemed Widdrington’s protests to be too severe and the former Southampton player received his marching orders to the stands.

But speaking after the game, Widdrington said: “I’m just a little perturbed as it seems every week and usually the team is not good enough to keep blaming the officials, but there just not good enough.”

Widdrington continued: “I mean how you bring that back when Gavin McCallum is through one-on-one with the goalkeeper and the incident is seventy yards behind him is remarkable, absolutely remarkable.

“He needs to take a look at the whole situation, and if it’s not him the people who employ him because it’s just not good enough. It’s happening every bloody week.”

It was a strange decision from the referee; the incident inside Borough’s half involved Sports midfielder Jack Evans, but with McCallum through on goal and shaping to shoot, it was a decision Maidstone were on the right side of.

Borough’s first-half display wasn’t to the standards of recent weeks; and with United’s 3G surface looking pristine, Widdrington’s side style of play was perfect for the conditions; but in the first-half they never got going; and lacked conviction in both their passing and attacking play.

“I was disappointed in the first-half, I thought we showed a lack of application; I never say that about my lot but I didn’t think we had enough players who had been picked to work the ball around a football pitch and they never done it,” said Widdrington.

One player who came out well of the disappointing defeat the youngster Bouwe Bosma; the Dutch youngster came to Eastbourne six months ago looking to make his way in football; he has been bereft of chances but his display in the middle of the park at the Gallagher Stadium certainly didn’t go unnoticed.

The 44-year-old said: “I thought Bouwe Bosma was the best player on the pitch; for a lad who has not taken a penny from this club for six months now and I’ve told the rest of the players that, all who get paid that he’s the shining light from the game today; he’s done ever so well.”

Next up for Borough they face a trip to Whitehawk who they drew to 1-1 on Boxing Day; as they look start the New Year off with a win.