Former Portsmouth pair on target as ‘bare bones’ Gosport Borough celebrate superb FA Cup replay win

Down the ‘bare bones’ according to joint-boss Joe Lea, Boro triumphed 2-0 in an FA Cup second qualifying round replay at league rivals Gloucester City on Tuesday.

Alfie Stanley and Brad Tarbuck were on target as Gosport - who had trailed 2-0 at Privett Park three days earlier before hitting back to draw 2-2 - defeated a Tigers side who had won all four of their home Southern League Premier South games this season.

Giving a first start to Brighton loanee Harry Lee at right back, Boro also ended with three members of their under-18 squad on the pitch, in Henry Searle, Ethan Jones and Kian Towse, against a club who were playing in the National League North last term.

Gosport now travel to NL North outfit Oxford City in the third qualifying round on Saturday September 28.

Reflecting on Tuesday’s win, Lea enthused: “Definitely one of the best we’ve had since we’ve been here.

“We were really good on Saturday, we felt we deserved to win the game.

“To come here with the bare bones … and some of the lads who were playing shouldn’t really be playing, we’ve got 13 fit first-team players and we had three under-18s on the bench, all of whom came on.

“We were up against it tonight, with the travel as well, we had a long journey, so when you get a result like that it really makes it worth it.

“I’m very proud of the boys and very pleased for the fans who made the journey.”

Stanley opened the scoring in the seventh minute after keeper Nathan Harvey, on loan from Dagenham, had slipped outside his area, leaving the striker with a simple finish.

Tarbuck clinched victory in the 84th minute.

Joint-manager Pat Suraci added: “We speak about intensity with this group so much, and they show it in abundance. The (first) goal was a by product of real intensity

“The best thing about tonight was it shows the real adaptability of the group. It was a different game to Saturday, it was a grind, organisation, a desire to defend your goal.

“You look at every individual and you can’t pick a man of the match.

“It’s about hard work, endeavour, showing how brave we can be in and out of possession. How much we want to defend our goal, how much we want to score goals, and if you get that right most of the time you’ll win more often than not.”