Broadbridge Heath make Hay: Bears end long wait for home win

Heath manager Chris Simmons made six changes to the starting line-up which included Matt Hay back from injury and making his first start for the Bears since September 27.

The opening spell was fairly uneventful with neither keeper troubled too much until the 15th minute when Mertham keeper Max Foulkes played the ball straight down the middle of the park.

It was headed forward by Sal Marino on the halfway line to Luke Bejashvili, who slipped a pass between defenders to allow Hay to run through and fire a left foot shot between keeper and post to give the Bears the lead.

The visitors came close to equalising five minutes later when Olu Lawal found himself with time and space to strike a right-foot shot across the goal and off the foot of the post.

Ten minutes before the break Merstham skipper Matt Drage’s free-kick was floated into the six-yard box to Charlie Stallard who powered a header narrowly over the bar but the Bears extended their lead in first-half injury time.

Heath won a corner on the right which Charlie Gibson delivered to the far post where it was headed back into the danger area by Bejashvili, Marino flicked it on to Hay, who converted from close range for his second and his team’s second.

The second half started with Merstham having a lot of the ball in the Heath half but unable to break down the Bears’ defence marshalled by Lewis Hyde, back from injury. Stallard fired a right-foot shot from long distance high over the Heath bar and Ange Djadja headed a good chance wide of the post.

On 70 minutes Heath’s Yuvi Mann attacked down the right and drove into the area before attempting a pass inside, the ball striking the outstretched arm of Drage for what seemed a clear penalty – but neither the referee nor his assistant signalled, much to the disappointment of the Heath management team, players and supporters.

Heath followers were even more incensed on 86 minutes when Mann again advanced into the area wide on the right and attempted to play the ball inside to MoM Hay. Merstham’s Olly Allen was tracking back and played the ball back into the path of Mann, who hammered a shot past Foulkes for Heath’s third only for the assistant referee to signal that Mann was in an offside position when he received the ball from Allen – and the referee agreed with him.

In the end those decisions didn’t matter too much with Heath winning 2-0. Simmons said: “After a tough few weeks it was great to see the lads put in a really good performance against a strong Merstham side, the clean sheet was a much-needed bonus.”

Next up a trip to Deal Town on Saturday (March 28, 3pm).