Gosport started well as they dominated possession and saw the first chance after seven minutes; Theo Lewis knocked a cross into the path of Nicky Dembele, with the winger’s shot rising harmlessly over from eight yards out. Moments later an effort by Lewis was fired wide under pressure after good work down the left by Bradley Lethbridge, but it wasn’t long before the hosts took the lead.

Dembele won the ball off the midfielder, cutting inside and finding Bradley Tarbuck advancing into the penalty area; with the striker finishing a cool finish past Paulsgrove keeper Tommie Stanley at his far post on 12 minutes. The Borough player then doubled his team and personal tally just sixty seconds later, beating two defenders and smashing home with a great individual effort down the left wing.

Paulsgrove then saw a couple of corners and saw Chaz Gardner fire wide with an ambitious shot after 21 minutes, but in truth they were getting frustrated after Gosport’s double blow despite holding out valiantly in the opening moments. Shane Cornish and captain Billy Butcher was booked for dissent by the referee, whilst the official was forced to caution their manager as he responded angrily to a decision on the half hour mark as the game slowed down slightly.

It was three-nil on 40 minutes after chances for Dembele and Lethbridge, with the ball played out to right back Ryan Hughes who smashed the ball into the top corner using a great sidefooted finish. On Borough’s next attack they won a penalty as a shot was blocked with the referee deeming it handball from the defender, with Nicky Dembele smashing it home down the middle for 4-0 ninety seconds after the third goal. The scoreline soon became five when a cross was dropped by Stanley into the path of Mbayo’s knee, with the ball bouncing over the line after 44 minutes of play. Just before the break Gosport made it six-nil as Dembele smashed home the rebound after racing through.

Gosport were in hostile mood as they scored a seventh goal just sixty seconds after the restart. Substitute Rory Williams played in a great cross down the left which was met at the back post by Lethbridge to slot home, which led to mass changes from Paulsgrove as they reenergised their midfield. This did somewhat halt the flow for a ten minute spell in which they stopped the flow of Gosport’s attack around the hour mark, before three goals in five minutes brought the game into life.

Gosport made it eight nil on 66 minutes as the ball was played around midfield, with Adam Poynter firing home a curling effort that bounced off the surface into the bottom right corner. This quickly became nine as a cross from the left was converted by Dembele, who completed his hat-trick with a hooked effort from close range with twenty minutes left. The visitors then won a free kick that was quickly taken by Jake Daniels 40 yards out, with his ambitious effort lobbing Ellis Grant into the back of the net.

A late foul then sparked handbags with bookings shown to many players including Joshua Huggins, whilst Charlie Moore was sent off for dissent from the same incident. Gosport made it ten with 12 minutes left as Dembele broke down the right and played the ball to Williams to slot home inside the corner with a composed finish.

Thankfully the final ten minutes was calmer as the game drifted towards its conclusion with no other bookings, although there was one last goal in stoppage time. It came from Dembele who calmly ran through the tiring backline and slotted home to bring his evening tally to four; completing a brilliant night for Borough with the only negatives being an injury to Theo Lewis and the lack of a clean sheet.