Broadbridge Heath romp to Velocity win at Steyning … YMCA sunk by Dockers in RUR

Steyning Town 1 Broadbridge Heath 4

Velocity Trophy

Heath manager Chris Simmons made seven changes to his starting line-up for the midweek Velocity match at Steyning Town, but despite the changes and the players already missing through injury the team still looked more than capable of competing at this level.

The Bears had the first goal attempt on 7 minutes when Andy Waddingham played the ball between two defenders allowing Oli Leslie to run through and strike a right foot shot that flew over the Steyning crossbar.

Sean Terry was next to have a pop at goal on 28 minutes when the Heath fullback advanced down the left, cut inside and hit a right foot shot from distance that went narrowly over the bar.

The opening goal came in first half time added on when Owen Cranmer-Flynn advanced down the left before cutting inside and hitting a right foot shot from the edge of the penalty area that the Steyning goalkeeper Natham Stroomberg-Clarke did well to push out for a corner. Cranmer-Flynn took the resulting corner and played it in low to the near post where Kyle Sim stuck out a boot to steer the ball goalwards, the ball came off a defender on the line and went straight to Terry who hammered it home from a yard to give his side a narrow half-time lead.

The hosts had a great chance to equalise early in the second period when Charlie Meehan got behind the Heath defence and fired in a shot from close range which goalkeeper Billy Collings saved with an outstretched leg, the ball went out to Billy Fuller some 30 yards from goal who composed himself to place a shot on goal but Collings was back to punch clear.

On 64 minutes the hosts were level when Fuller received the ball wide on the left, cut-inside and played a defence splitting pass towards Meehan who steered the ball past Collings into the bottom left corner.

Heath restored their lead within minutes when Stroomberg-Clarke inadvertently stood on the ball in the penalty area and was immediately dispossessed by Lewis Croal who had his first attempt blocked by covering defenders but pounced again to bundle the ball over the line from close range.

Having worked so hard to get back into the game that goal conceded seemed to knock the stuffing out of the hosts with Heath introducing fresh legs from the bench and going on to dominate the remaining play.

Matt Hay tried his luck with a shot from fully 30 yards that dipped just over the crossbar, Sam Lemon, making his first appearance of the season, made it 3-1 on 80 minutes when he got round a defender in the right fullback position and hammered a right foot shot that came off Stroomberg-Clarke, back to the Heath striker who made sure with his second attempt rifling the ball into the roof of the net.

Heath wrapped up the game in time added-on when Jamie Chesworth played a free-kick from the right into the penalty area which was met on the volley by the right boot of Salvatore Marino who smashed it into the bottom right corner wide of the diving Steyning keeper.

A comfortable win in the end for the Bears who will now play Burgess Hill Town away in the 2nd Round of the competition, date to be confirmed.

Simmons said afterwards: “After Saturday’s efforts and the disappointment, it was great to see the squad respond like this, we made a lot of changes to freshen up the side and give a few a rest but it showed how good the overall squad is and that everyone is taking in the way we are trying to play this season.”

MOM; Sean Terry

BBH: Collings, Archard (Marino 74), Terry (Dowdell 89), Penfold, Sim, Waddingham (Chesworth 74), Cranmer-Flynn (Lindsey 78), Parmiter, Croal, Hay, Leslie (Lemon 61).

Horsham YMCA 1 Newhaven 2

Sussex RUR Cup

by Martin Read

This was the third game this season between Horsham YMCA and Newhaven, YM having knocked Haven out of the FA Cup, followed by a draw in the league. This time Haven took revenge in a hard-fought close game.

YM Captain Hayden Neathey was outstanding in defence, snuffing out Haven attacks, until, 26 minutes in, Jake Robinson gave them the lead from close range. But, YM promptly equalised through a clean Conner Collcutt strike, the score remaining 1-1 at the break, despite chances at either end.

Haven resumed strongly and corners were traded, before YM were denied when a Dean Lovegrove free kick somehow stayed out. Then, YM were reduced to 10 men, Dan Burbolis being sent off for a second yellow, before Haven broke down the right for Ryan Warwick to score the deciding goal with just five minutes of normal time left, YM subsequently being kept at bay.

YM Coach Paul Emerson told the County Times: “I’m sorry we lost, of course, but that was a much, much better showing than our last two games, so we’re pleased with that.”

On Saturday YM travel to Camberley in the FA Vase before hosting Petersfield in the league on Tuesday.