Godfrey on target as Broadbridge Heath edge out in-form Eastbourne United

The Bears inflicted their in-form visitors with just their second Premier Division defeat of the season in a tight game.

The victory keeps Heath sixth in the table just nine points behind leaders Shoreham with people starting to take note of their impressive squad and possibly challenge this season.

The home side welcome back Piers McDermott, but injuries to Joe Holvey and Tiago Andrade meant Godfrey and striker Tim Martin started, the latter making his first appearance since at Crawley Down on August 30.

Heath started well and almost scored in the second minute when a Martin cross was met at the far post by a powerful Dean Wright header, but the keeper did brilliantly to push the ball up onto the bar and out to safety.

From the corner, the ball fell to Andy Howard but the defender slashed his effort yards wide of the post. McDermott then came close when he got on the end of another Wright cross into the box but the ball went agonisingly wide.

The visitors had their first attempt at goal in the eighth minute when former Horsham striker Bailo Camara tried his luck from distance.

A well-executed bicycle kick from Liam Baitup looked good for the spectators but was well wide of the mark.

With 15 minutes gone, Martin again cut in from the left and hit a shot against the bar which came out to Godfrey who rifled a right-foot shot from 18 yards that flew in via a deflection.

Heath continued to push forward and twice Ollie Moore came close with shots from distance that went just wide.

For the visitors, the best attempt of the half was a deflected Baitup cross that looked like it was going to sneak in at the far post before a superb finger-tip save by Michael Chester denied him.

Into the second period and again it was Heath who created the better openings, Jake Holmes cut inside and hit a right-foot shot that Phil Hawkins saved brilliantly low to his left and minutes later the keeper was in action again to save from Tim Martin.

Midway through the half Martin broke away and pulled the ball back to Holmes and his first-time curling shot crashed off the underside of the bar and out to safety.

For the visitors, Camara was causing the Heath defence a few problems, with 20 minutes to go the Eastbourne striker wriggled his way past two defenders and hit a shot that Chester saved low at the near post. In the final minutes the visitors put the Heath defence under a lot of pressure, but Painters side held on to the points.

Heath: M.Chester, Robinson, Godfrey, S.Chester, Howard, McDermott, Wright (Maxwell 77), Findlay, Moore, Holmes (Swaine 85), Martin (Sandell 75).

Don’t miss out on all the latest breaking news where you live.

Here are four ways you can be sure you’ll be amongst the first to know what’s going on.

1 Make this website your homepage

2 Like our Facebook page at facebook.com/pages/Sport-Sussex

3 Follow us on Twitter @SportSussex

4 Register with us by clicking on ‘sign in’ (top right corner). You can then receive our daily newsletter AND add your point of view to stories that you read here.

And do share with your family and friends - so they don’t miss out!