Craig McAllister’s ‘massive relief’ after Gosport Borough avoid relegation on dramatic final day?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

Craig McAllister spoke of his ‘massive relief’ as Gosport Borough avoided Southern League premier south relegation and insisted: We don’t want to be in that situation again.
Gosport player-manager Craig McAllister. Picture: Duncan ShepherdGosport player-manager Craig McAllister. Picture: Duncan Shepherd
Gosport player-manager Craig McAllister. Picture: Duncan Shepherd

Borough had to twice come from behind to snatch a 2-2 draw at Metropolitan Police on the final day of the season.

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Twice results elsewhere over the course of a nail-biting final day left Gosport in the bottom three – and staring relegation in the face.

But they picked up a battling point to pull off the great escape.

And relieved Borough player-manager McAllister said: ‘In the end the point that we picked up has proved massive and kept us up.

‘Staying up is a massive relief

‘We had a job to do and, in the end, we did it

'The players showed a lot of guts and character in a very tense situation.

'There was surprisingly little fear shown out there.

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'Even though we fell behind twice, the players kept going and continued to create chances.

'Our point was thoroughly deserved.

‘It is not a situation that we want to find ourselves again in the future.’

Borough suffered an early setback on ten minutes when John Gilbert put the home side ahead, firing home direct from a free-kick.

However, they hauled themselves level six minutes before the break.

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Player-manager McAllister headed the ball back across goal and Pennery was on hand to convert.

But Borough found themselves behind again seven minutes after the restart, although they refused to capitulate.

They were rewarded by Sekajja's excellent finish for a second equaliser, which in the end proved crucial.

And McAllister is now set for discussions with chairman Iain McInnes on how to make sure Borough do not find themselves in relegation battles in years to come.

He added: ‘We kept going.

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‘Our fans played a big part in that travelling in numbers to get behind the team.

 ‘In the next week we will be sitting down with the chairman to discuss the way forward.

'Working together, we want to make the club more successful.

‘At the moment, though, it is a great relief that we are staying up.'