Broadbridge Heath win thanks to 45-yard free-kick - mystery red hurts Roffey

Broadbridge Heath 2 Lingfield 1

SCFL premier

Heath got back into winning ways with a narrow 2-1 victory over mid-table Lingfield on Saturday – but the Bears made hard work of it before getting that winning goal in the closing minutes.

Heath manager Chris Simmons welcomed back Louis Blake and Jack Frankland from injury with Blake straight into the side in centre midfield and Frankland starting on the bench.

The first half was an even but very scrappy affair on a difficult surface and with too many misplaced passes from both sides.

The visitors had the first chance on 8 minutes with a well struck shot from 20 yards crashed against the crossbar and the rebound was headed over the bar by a Lingfield player from 6 yards.

Crawley Town v Oldham in focus.

Heath’s best chance of the half came on 18 minutes when Mason Doughty was put through on goal.

He had his shot blocked by the Lingfield keeper, and the ball came back to Doughty, whose second attempt beat the keeper but was cleared off the goal-line by a retreating defender.

Heath were also denied what looked like a strong Penalty claim a couple of minutes before the break, which were waved away and it remained 0-0 at the break.

We’re not sure what was said at half-time but Heath started the second half far better, knocking the ball around and creating a hatful of chances, the only surprise was they didn’t score more.

On 58 minutes Jamie Taylor split the defence with an inch perfect pass to allow Doughty through and as the keeper sprinted out to meet him he chipped it over his outstretched body into the empty net to break the deadlock.

Rocks frustrated but not forlorn.

Heath continued to create good chances but that final ball or finish was missing and on 74 minutes they were punished when a rare Lingfield attack ended with the ball being played across the face of goal to Ben Connolly who tapped it in from a yard.

Still Heath pressed forward in search of the winning goal but more missed chances and a few dubious offside decisions kept the score at 1-1.

Just as it looked like ending in a draw Heath were awarded a free kick wide on the right and 45 yards from goal.

All the players pushed forward in what would be one of the final few chances of the match.

Cameron Watts placed the ball on the ground, took a few steps back and hit a left foot ball high towards the Lingfield goal.

Wick v Worthing in pictures.

The keeper misjudged the flight of the ball, taking two steps forward, but before he could readjust his feet the ball was over his head into the goal.

In what was a fortunate winning goal for the Bears, it made up for some of the earlier chances that went begging, the result means Heath maintain their seventh place in the division with 8 games remaining.

There is no game for the Bears this week so their next match is on March 12 when they travel to face promotion hopefuls Saltdean United.

MOM was the matchwinner, Cameron Watts.

Godalming 1 Roffey 0

SCFL division one

Andy Lampard’s table toppers came unstuck when they went to sixth-placed Godalming – but the loss came in controversial circumstances.

Roffey welcomed back Johden De Meyer for a game played in a strong breeze and on a bumpy pitch which did not aid a flowing game.

The first half passed with both sides trying to master the conditions but only a header off the line by Jamie Robinson from a Godalming corner at one end and an Adrian Giles save from Jack Ryder at the other, came close to breaking the deadlock.

In the 65th minute, with ball out of play, the referee walked over to the linesman and, to the amazement of both sets of players, management and supporters returned to give Brendan Millborrow a straight red card. The Roffey centre back was distraught and both teams asked what it was for. The referee was unmoved and Roffey were down to ten men.

The game was transformed. Jack Ryder was replaced by Aaron Collins as Lampard replaced his centre back. Then a ball was driven into the box and struck a defender’s arm which was tucked into his body. One of the assistants flagged for a penalty. But Ed Harvey made his first save of the game by keeping out the spot kick.

Johden De Meyer and Ross Swaine came on and Roffey’s defensive work was effective until three minutes from time when Charlie Oakley latched on to a long ball to score the only goal of the game. Roffey threw everything they could at the Gs in the time remaining but despite forcing several corners could not get a serious attempt on goal. The home side celebrated three points in their quest for a play of place and Roffey were left 3 points clear at the top but no longer with a game in hand after Midhurst travelled all the way to Hailsham only for the referee to call the game off.

Being at the top of the league on even games, with 8 games to go, is something all Roffey supporters would surely have settled for pre-season and this was reflected by the upbeat response from Boars manager Lampard.

He said: “I am just seeing Saturday as a bad day at the office. A few things didn’t go our way in terms of decisions but there’s certainly no panic from us at all. We’ll re-group, settle everyone down and look to get things back together on Tuesday.”

SAM CHAPMAN

* Elsewhere in the SCFL premier, Horsham YMCA were beaten 2-0 at Bexhill, who are having a fine season on their return to the top flight.

That leaves YM two points behind Alfold and in 14th place and that’s because Alfold recorded a 2-0 home win over Eastbourne Town thanks to a double by Charlie Martin.

Loxwood remain 18th after grinding out a 0-0 draw at Hassocks.

Steyning Town went down 1-0 at home to Little Common.

In divison one, Storrington’s struggles continued with a 3-0 home defeat to Epsom and Ewell.

In division two Southwater had to settle for a 1-1 draw at home to Brighton Electricity after an early Ben Lewis goal was cancelled out in the second half.

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