Broadbridge Heath rediscover winning form to see off Hythe Town

But things didn’t go quite to plan with the visitors taking the lead on 16 minutes.

Heath started brightly with Mark Goldson intercepting a cross-field pass on five minutes and trying his luck with a lob over the goalkeeper’s head from 35 yards that dropped narrowly over the bar on to the roof of the net.

Minutes later Byron Napper won the ball on the halfway line and played it out to Mason Doughty, allowing the Heath forward to advance into the area and strike a shot which was saved at the near post by Hythe keeper Charlie Wealands.

Despite the good start, the visitors took the lead when Ellis Brown received the ball wide on the right and crossed to Javaun Splatt 12 yards out with his back to goal – and the burly striker took one touch, turned and struck a shot that flew past Alfie Hadfield ,giving the Heath stopper no chance.

Heath responded well and Doughty went close with a free kick from 20 yards that went round the wall but was gathered by Wealands.

Further chances came Heath’s way with Doughty again involved, intercepting a pass but blasting wide of the target from 20 yards, and Sal Marino heading a right wing cross from Eugene Moteane wide.

The equaliser arrived on 37 minutes after a good exchange of passes between Doughty, Napper and Moteane . It fell to Louis Evans to hammer home a shot from 25 yards that flew into the bottom corner.

Heath continued to create good chances and on 42 minutes Doughty was again in action running with pace at the Hythe defence before firing a shot that flew low across the face of goal but just wide.

The Bears took a deserved lead two minutes before the break when a long Hadfield drop-kick was chased down by Goldson, who held it up before playing it inside to Evans – who took a touch and drilled a shot from 20 yards into the bottom corner.

Heath saw out the second half pretty comfortably and added a third on 58 minutes when the ball was played up to Doughty on the edge of the box and he hit a fierce shot that was parried by the keeper into the path of Goldson, whose shot was charged down. The ball came straight back to Doughty who made sure the second time.

Simmons said: “It was a much better performance than recent games at home and a much needed win and three points.”

MoM was Louis Evans.