Jack Pearce has tipped Eastbourne Borough to recover from their early season problems but hopes their revival does not start until after tonight's first-ever league meeting with Bognor.

Borough are third form bottom in Conference south following Saturday's 2-0 defeat at Hornchurch but Bognor boss Pearce says they are too good to remain at the foot of the table.

Pearce said: "Even though they are in the wrong half of the table they have not been on the end of any real beatings which shows there is not too much wrong.

"Once they acclimatise to this level and start getting the rub of the green their results will pick up. They have left themselves a lot of work to do because they have started so poorly but I can't see them becoming marooned at the bottom."

Bognor's flying start - which continued with a 1-0 win at Hayes on Saturday to lift them to fifth - has also come as something of a surprise to Borough boss Garry Wilson.

Wilson said: "Jack was struggling for a team at the start of the season but he has got some good players in on loan from Brighton and has something we are missing right now in the shape of a goalscorer in Luke Nightingale."

Michael Birmingham (knee) may be back on the bench for Bognor and Guy Rutherford returns from suspension. Borough are missing Richard Harris (ribs) and Danny Chapman (leg).