Heath double sees Lancers swat aside Wasps

In a match marred by a suspected dislocated ankle for skipper Alex Laing, Heath struck either side of half-time for the team’s fourth successive win over these Sussex rivals. They did the league double over them last season and followed that with victory there in the Sussex Senior Cup 19 days ago.

All at the club wish Laing well in his recovery and look forward to seeing him in action again soon.

After a spell away, Heath has returned to Culver Road as new boss Sam Morgan’s second signing, charged with leading the line for his new look Lancing. Heath fired an early warning shot when he took advantage of the homesters’ high line. He was released by Noel Fisher and found himself free, only to be stopped in his tracks by the offside flag.

Khalifa Jabbie sliced a shot wide after the ball had rebounded back to him, before first Heath and then Laing both had efforts deflect narrowly wide.

There was a very obvious tactical blueprint at the forefront of Lancing’s play: move the ball quickly through midfield into the space behind the home side’s defence. If it had not been for a combination of the offside rule and slight overexuberance, this Plan A would have reaped its reward far sooner than transpired.

Blake went close with a header and Thomas tested the tenacity of Wasps keeper Matte Pierson, but on this occasion the stopper was equal to the effort.

He was powerless to prevent the opener soon afterwards, though. Heath let fly with a speculative shot from 25 yards - one which looked to have been tipped wide by the diving Pierson. But the keeper slightly misjudged both the height and pace of the shot and could only help it on its way in.

No sooner had the celebrations died down were they dampened, though. After a spot of penalty area pinball, Jabbie poked the ball in after a goalmouth scramble to untidily bundle his side level at the break.

Morgan’s men shrugged off the setback of that last gasp concession to start the second half on the front foot.

Charlie Gibson’s wait for that elusive goal in Lancing colours went on as he fired into the side netting. Heath’s searching delivery across the box evaded everyone and Laing was denied by a strong stop from Pierson. Having built up a head of steam, Lancers made their superiority count at the match reached the hour. And the Fisher/ Heath combo delivered once more. The former picked up the ball and cut it back for the latter to slide in an unerring finish to restore the lead with his second of the game.

Harrison Parker hit the upright with a header but a one goal lead is never enough and ex-Lancer Connor Tighe blazed over with the goal at his mercy at the other end.

Omar Folkes skied an opening but there could be no argument Lancing were good value for their lead. That lead was turned into the golden prize of three points in the final minute when there was another first for the Lancers, this time provided by Ta’shae Andall-Gibbons, who was picked out by Laing’s final act. Andall-Gibbons had caught the eye since stepping off the bench and added late gloss to the scoreline when he raced through to finish one-on-one beyond Pierson.

Lancing remain five points from safety but, crucially, still on the coat-tails of those around them approaching the hectic Christmas fixtures.

Lancing: James Dillon; Harrison Parker, Sam Bull, Harry Docherty, Charlie Gibson; Leon Moore, Alex Laing, Joe Thomas; Blake Loyza, Harry Heath, Noel Fisher. Substitutes: Ta’shae Andall-Gibbons (Thomas 60), Knory Scott, Ryan Atkinson, Etienne Frimpong (for Laing, Loyza, Heath 89), Alieu Secka.