Broadbridge Heath back to winning ways with fine victory at Ashford United

For the midweek trip, Broadbridge Heath manager Chris Simmons was still without a host of first team regulars missing through injury – but last season’s top goal-scorer Zac Young had returned from injury and was included in the squad.

For the third match running Heath got off to a flyer with Sam Hards giving the Bears the lead on 5 minutes after Heath defender Ben Royall intercepted a forward pass midway through his own half and played it to Charlie Connell wide on the left by the halfway line.

The Heath midfielder immediately played the ball down the channel allowing Hards to chase it down, he then cut inside and fired a curling right foot shot that beat the Ashford goalkeeper Jordan Gillmore with the ball nestling into the bottom right corner of the net for his sixth goal in 12 appearances for the Bears.

Heath came close to doubling their lead midway through the half when Luke Bajashvili’s left wing cross came out to Royallm who stuck a fierce left foot shot that was cleared off the goal-line by Gillmore’s outstretched leg.

The hosts had a great chance to equalise on the half-hour mark when a Broadbridge Heath pass was intercepted midway through the Ashford half and a quick counterattack saw Gary Lockyer break away with the ball on a two against one situation with Louis Collins. But with his strike partner unmarked in the penalty area and in acres of space, Lockyer chose to shoot and the ball went harmlessly straight into the arms of Heath goalkeeper Alfie Hadfield.

The hosts started the second half well with Collins striking a right foot shot just wide of the post but the Heath defence marshalled by Captain Brad Peters stood firm and restricted their efforts to long range shots, one of which from Sam Hasler must have been from 40 yards but it went harmlessly wide of target.

With 15 minutes remaining the Bears doubled their lead when a free-kick was awarded on the halfway line, a short pass was played to Ben Holden who played a diagonal pass down the right flank to Young.

He took the ball around the fullback and played it low across the 6 yard box to Charlie Connell to fire in his fifth league goal of the season, having previously not scored for Broadbridge Heath after 52 games, the midfielder has now scored five in 13.

Minutes later a left foot shot from Young was well saved by Gillmore diving low to his right to deny Heath a third and Gillmore was in action again on 86 minutes again saving with his legs this time from Jack Church.

A minute later the hosts pulled a goal back, Freddie Francis played a left wing cross into the Heath penalty area, a spell of head tennis followed before the ball fell kindly for Olie Bate to hammer a low right foot shot through a crowd of players into the net.

A few nervous minutes followed for Broadbridge Heath supporters as the hosts pushed for an equaliser but it wasn’t to come and Simmons’ side can look back on a very good evening the Green Box Stadium.

MoM: Brad Peters & Jay Richardson

BBH: Hadfield, Thiselton, Royall, Holden, Peters, Richardson, Bejashvili (Young 51), Church, Hards (Rawlins 88), Connell (Buchanan 83), Jeanes (Mann).

Heath visit AFC Croydon Athletic on Saturday.