Four points from six make it pleasing week for Burgess Hill Town
Burgess Hill Town’s bosses had few complaints after the Hillians led a 2-0 lead slip in Saturday’s 2-2 draw at Merstham.
Joint manager Gary Mansell said he was happy with his team’s performance in Surrey, which kicked off another series of three games in eight days for the side.
Alex Brewer and Brannon O'Neil struck to put Hill two up just after half-time but Merstham got one back and levelled in injury time.
Hill sat seventh after that and went fourth after beating Margate 2-1 at Leylands Park on Tuesday night.Bobby Price and Reggie Ward with the goals.
A busy week concludes with a home game versus Steyning on Saturday.
Mansell said of the Merstham draw: “We could have managed the game differently and taken the ball to the corner but I don’t think we did a lot wrong in terms of how we conceded the corner and then the way it was defended.
"Unfortunately it’s one of those freak things that happen in football, you just get caught and sucker punched.”
Mansell said the players were ‘itching to go for the next one’.
"They want to build on the performance they know they put in because it was really positive – and then get the game out of their system, so they’re itching and ready to go.”
Mansell said a hectic run was not always positive, but it could be useful after a disappointing result.
Here is Dave Bradbury’s report from Tuesday’s win over Margate…
Reggie Ward’s 78th minute winner saw Burgess Hill Town move up to fourth in the table and end Margate’s unbeaten league record this season.
After Saturday’s fantastic performance against Merstham managers Gary Mansell and Jay Lovett named an unchanged starting XI and bench for the visit of Margate who went into the game one place above the Hillians on goal difference.
After a quiet opening with only a half chance for the visitors that was hit well over the Hillians took the lead on 19 minutes in style with an excellent finish and build up. Joe Overy got the ball and drove at the heart of the Kent side, beating his men with ease, getting to the bye line and driving it across for Bobby Price to volley home on his left foot for his first Hillians goal.
Soon after there was another chance for the Hill as a lovely ball sets Stefan Vukoje, on his home debut, away. He cuts inside delightfully but smashes just over with his left. At the other end the visitors responded as a Margate man drives at the Hill backline and gets a shot away but it’s saved by Huk.
In the 35th minute the Hill suffered a blow as goalscorer Price picked up a knock and he had to be replaced and it got worse as the visitors equalised straight after. Ibrahim Olutade tapped home after Huk had saved the initial effort.
Just before half time Hill’s bad luck with injuries continued as Ben Pope had to be replaced as the teams went in level at half time. The second half started with a few chances for Hill. Overy cuts inside and feeds Alex Brewer, he plays in Vukoje but he smashes over. Then Brannon O’Neill swings a corner in, Nathan Cooper gets ahead of his man but misses the ball. Any touch and that would have been a goal.
Hill nearly gifted Margate the lead on 54 minutes as a bad error at the back presents Olutade with a run at Huk but a combination of Slav and great defending, keeps us level. Minutes later a free kick is swung in, Gate win the header and Kieran Rowe clears it off the line to keep the scores level.
On 78 minutes though a brilliant moment saw the Hillians re-take the lead. Hill break and Vukoje breezes down the left, smashes it across and in flies to sub Reggie Ward to divert the ball in. In the 90th minute Hillians nearly made it three as Rowe drives one with his left inches wide and at the other end Huk made a fantastic save to preserve the lead.
This big win saw the Hillians move ahead of Margate into the play offs and upto 4th place with the visit of Steyning Town up next this Saturday.
Hill: Slav Huk, Hamish Morrison, Bobby Price (Reggie Ward 35), Ryan Worrall, Nathan Cooper, Brannon O’Neill, Stefan Vukoje, Kieran Rowe, Alex Brewer (Ollie Davies 68), Ben Pope (Harry Lawson 41 (Lewis Taylor 87)), Joe Overy. Sub not used: Elliott Bresciani.