First leg of treble Heath have in view

Haywards Heath were made to work hard by local rivals Hurstpierpoint before completing the first leg of what they hope will be a memorable treble this season, writes Chris Francis.
james mckemey saves a penalty in Div 3 cup final 2013james mckemey saves a penalty in Div 3 cup final 2013
james mckemey saves a penalty in Div 3 cup final 2013

Simon Corless’ talented team have the title and promotion back into senior football as their No 1 goal and what would also do nicely is the Sussex Intermediate Cup, where they face another local derby test from the formidable Hassocks Reserves.

In the meantime, the Division 3 Cup will do for starters and it was clinched at a bitingly cold Worthing United on Good Friday.

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Both sides missed a penalty in normal time, Hurst with just three minutes remaining, but overall Heath deserved the win against gutsy opposition who went into the final unbeaten in eight.

A firm, bobbly surface and strong wind would have tested the skills of most senior teams and in difficult circumstances both sides did well enough.

But chances were at a premium in the first half when the best by a country mile came midway through when Sam Packham was booked for bringing down Kieron Purkis and Danny Mobsby saw his well hit spot kick superbly saved by James McKemey.

After the break there was much more goalmouth action, with most of it at the Hurst end. But they defended tenaciously and were helped by Heath invariably, and understandably, wanting one touch too many.

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The closest Heath came was on 70 minutes when a combination of McKemey and Andy Webster somehow denied Rick Peacock on the line.

It would have been an expensive miss had Trevor Wilson not put the ball well wide after rounding keeper George Hyde and then in the dying minutes Aaron Blackwell not missed from the spot after Mark Feist was booked for a foul on Wilson..

Extra time certainly was not what a decent-sized crowd wanted in the icy conditions and how typical it took just two minutes of extra time to break the deadlock.

Yet even then it was far from convincing as Peacock scrambled the ball home from close range after good work by Purkis.

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The second goal was supebly struck by Purkis eight minutes later before half-time sub Andy Tuckey pulled another great save from McKemey.

It was Tuckey who set up the last goal for Peacock midway through the second half and that was perhaps a little harsh on a Hurst team who had been well in contention against quality opposition for so long.

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