Ashford United 0-3 Broadbridge Heath

Heath make it four league wins on the trotThose old enough to remember the “Saint and Greavsie” football programme on television will be well aware of the proverbial saying ‘game of two halves’ that Jimmy Greaves would repeatedly say to his sidekick on the show and Liverpool legend Ian St John. Well this victory over Ashford United would certainly fall into that category with the home-side dominating long spells of the first half, wasting clear cut goal-scoring chances and then being punished by a dominant second half display of attacking football from the Bears.

The hosts should have been in front on 10 minutes when a cross from the right fell to Gary Locker just 6 yards from goal and with time and space but somehow the burly striker blazed his effort way over the crossbar when it looked easier to score.

On 16 minutes the hosts won a free-kick wide on the right, the ball was played long towards the far post to Tolulope Jonah who got round the back of the Heath defence but from 3 yards out the defender blasted a right foot shot high and wide of the goal.

The hosts continued to push forward and on 36 minutes Heath goalkeeper Billy Eastwood was judged to have brought down Locker in the penalty area with the referee immediately pointing to the spot. The Ashford No. 9 picked himself up placed the ball on the spot, Eastwood dived to his right, Locker hammered a right foot shot in the other direction, the ball crashed against the inside of the post and came out to Heath skipper Kyle Sim who wellied it clear to safety.

With the whistle bringing an end to the first half the Heath supporters were relieved and somewhat surprised that the score remained 0-0 with their team not managing a single shot on target and desperately hoping for an improved performance in the second period.

Well their hopes were very soon realised when minutes into the restart a long throw from Kyle Sim was met by the head of Tad Bromage and from 12 yards the Heath defender powered a header past the Ashford keeper and former Hornet Mitchell Beeney.

Suddenly the roles were completely reversed with Heath looking dangerous with every attack and the hosts on the back-foot with Beeney in action again minutes later to save a right foot shot from Mark Goldson.

Heath added a second on 58 minutes when a Callum Dowdell corner from the left to the far post was only cleared to Louis Evans who hit it first time with his right foot through a crowd of players and into the net.

The Bears made it 3-0 on 71 minutes with Louis Evans again involved, winning the ball off an Ashford player, forcing his way into the penalty area before cutting the ball back from the goal-line to Goldson who pounced to hammer a right foot shot past Beeney for his second in two starts since joining from Steyning.

Heath had a great chance to make it 4-0 in the closing minutes when Matt Penfold broke away down the left before playing the ball inside to Lewis Croal but the Heath striker was challenged just as he was about to strike the ball and the chance had gone.

After the game Heath Manager Chris Simmons said “The lads were fantastic today, hard working, gritty, defensive display first half, got a deserved bit of luck with the penalty miss and then 2nd half were outstanding and fully deserved the win”.

Next up for the Bears is a rare home game on Tuesday 15th October, when we welcome division leaders Beckingham Town to the BodyMould Community Stadium, Kick Off 7.45.

Team: Eastwood, Sim (Buchanan 57), Chesworth, Penfold, Bromage, Terry, Dowdell, Parmiter (Croal 72), Goldson (Hay 81), Evans, Lemon (Archard 82).