Broadbridge Heath make it three away wins in eight days

The home side have been on a great run of form, 11 games without defeat and only one league defeat since August 10, a run that has seen the Hillians move into the play-off places.

Chris Simmons’ Broadbridge Heath team were still missing several regulars through injury but came into the game full of confidence after two away victories in the past week.

The hosts started really well and on 5 minutes Heath keeper Alfie Hadfield made the first of several saves when Chris Whelpdale forced his way into the area and struck a low shot which Hadfield deflected past the post with an outstretched leg.

Minutes later Stefan Vukojie fired in a shot from the edge of the area which flew narrowly over the bar, and on 10 minutes Hamish Morrison’s cross from the right was headed over by Vukojie at the far post.

Heath’s first attack came 16 minutes in when James Archard advanced down the right and played a ball across the face of goal towards Mark Goldson, who headed just wide. Minutes later Sal Marino received the ball in the middle of the park and played a forward pass between two defenders, allowing Goldson to run through on goal and from 18 yards place a shot wide of the keeper into the bottom corner.

The hosts continued to probe in search of the equaliser. Whelpdale tried his luck with a long-range shot which was gathered comfortably by Hadfield but the Hillians should have been level on 33 minutes when Whelpdale took the ball to the Heath goal-line before pulling it back to Kieran Rowe with the goal at his mercy and six yards out, but the midfielder blasted his shot over.

Minutes later Heath’s Charlie Parmiter received the ball wide on the left and split the defence with an inch-perfect pass allowing Goldson to once again run through on goal. He twisted and turned to shake off his marker before rifling in a low shot wide of Hillians keeper Slav Huk and in.

Action again switched to the other end when a left wing cross was headed goalwards by Ben Pope but straight into the arms of Hadfield.

In the closing minutes of the half Heath added a third when Callum Dowdell ran at the Hillians defence where he was brought down 12 yards from goal, an easy decision for the referee and Goldson stepped up to complete his hat-trick from the spot – 0-3 at the break.

The second half was a case of attack versus defence with the Hillians having long spells of possession in the Heath half but the Bears defending superbly and still creating chances on the counter attack.

The home side had a great chance to pull a goal back 5 minutes in when Vukojie smashed the ball at point-blank range straight at Brad Peters and the referee deemed it worthy of a penalty for handball. It looked a harsh decision given how close the player was.

Pope stepped up to take the spot kick which Hadfield saved superbly diving low to his left. The ball came back to Pope but Hadfield was up and dived in front of the player to clear.

Despite Hill dominating possession there were few clear-cut chances and the Heath defence, marshalled by Bradley Peters and Kyle Sim, looked solid and dealt with anything.

The Bears came close to adding to their score midway through the second half when Mason Doughty ran through and hit a right-foot shot from distance that went narrowly wide of the post. Five minutes later Marino struck a long-range shot that Huk pushed on to the post and out for a corner.

This made it three away wins in a week and with no midweek fixture this week, some of his walking wounded get a well deserved rest and a chance for some of those knocks to heal.

MOM: Mark Goldson

Simmons said afterwards: “The lads were fantastic, they played exactly to our plan and probably did it better than we could have imagined.

"Alfie in goal and the back four were resolute and the midfield covered every inch of grass, and then when we broke the pace of the front three would scare most back lines. Goldy was exceptional and more importantly so clinical.”

BBH: Hadfield, Archard, Terry (Chesworth 85), Marino, Peters, Sim, Dowdell, Parmiter (Waddingham 60), Goldson (Croal 69), Hay, Doughty (Berry 90+2).