Haywards Heath lose to late Three Bridges goal in lively Sussex derby

It was a lively game at Hanbury Park and the Heath - with a conservative goalscoring record in the league - were drawn into a fiery battle that produced seven cards and five goals. It leaves Heath fifth in the table, still just in the play-off zone.

The first card for Haywards Heath's Sinnkaye Christie on 13 minutes led to the first Bridges’ goal. He pulled down a Bridges’ forward as he broke 25 yards out. Curtis Gayler stepped up to smash the ball through the laces to the top-centre of Billy Collings' goal to make it 1-0.

The stunned Blues couldn’t get their foot on the ball and without it struggled to get any clear opportunity in the opening exchanges. With it, they were punished again just before the half-hour mark when Bryan Villavicencio arrived in the box to slam home a low Charlie Lambert cross. Off the bar and off Hamish Morrison’s back on the way in.

The deficit pushed the Blues into action and, out of nowhere, the Bridges ‘keeper scored a howler of an own-goal with the ball seemingly bouncing wide. A ball sent wide by Heath midfielder Napper was sliced by full-back Joe Stone towards goal. Bobbling wide and with spin, it ricocheted off Bridges’ stopper Mitch Bromage’s gloves who couldn’t control the flight as it snuck in at his near post. A real mess to bring the goal difference to one with ten minutes to go of the half.

Bridges’ Bryan Villacenvio and Joe Stone were cautioned by referee Daniel Blades as the game heated up, but the half-time whistle blew to cool it off minutes later. Half-time 1-2 Three Bridges.

Five minutes after the restart, Heath striker Trevor McCreadie was brought down on the edge of the Bridges area and a penalty was given. He slammed it home from 12 yards into the centre and ran back down the pitch, muddied with the ball from the net in his arms, with time for one more.

There were tough conditions for any team playing Saturday and the wind got behind a long swooping free-kick to put the Blues on alert minutes later. Heath ‘keeper Billy Collings’ post was rattled as the free-kick whipped over the heads of the crowd and dropped down quickly. Collings smothered the rebound.

The Heath began to take control of the game and the pitch started to deteriorate. There was attack after attack and a real feeling that the winner was going to be a home one.

But the winner went to the bustling visitors with five minutes to go when free-kick was drawn on the right-hand side inside the Bridges’ half. When taken long the Blues defenders were caught unaware and Bridges’ forward Dan Perry raced through on goal unmarked. ‘Keeper Collings had no support but a gaping hole and hope of the striker’s hesitation. Perry guided the ball softly from 18 yards with his head and it looped over Collings and into the net - slowly. FT 2-3

Heath manager Martin Dynan said: ‘It's all well and good playing the top sides, they’re easy to motivate yourself for; it’s playing the teams at the bottom of the table, and mid-table, who turn up to create a scrap - something other than a football match. Yes, I want us to get on the ball and take the game to teams but we must learn to get in amongst it and get past the scrap.”