Heath get back to winning ways
Broadbridge Heath came away with a 3-2 win when they travelled to Merstham FC seeking their first win in six league matches.
Most of the opponents in Heath’s winless run have been teams above them in the league table but they were glad to get back to winning ways.
Merstham were on their best run of the season and only two points away from a play-off spot at kick-off and had lost only one of their previous ten.
They started well and forced the first save of the match when a fierce shot from distance by Olu Laway was saved by Heath keeper Alfie Hadfield.
But it was perhaps no surprise when Korrey Henry put the Moatsiders in front after nine minutes. The move started in the right-back position and was played diagonally across the pitch to Findlay Johnson who delivered a low cross from the left into the area to Henry, who steered a shot wide of Hadfield into the bottom corner.
The hosts went two up on 26 minutes when a corner from the left was played to the far post to Harry Pointing, who headed it back across the goal into the danger area to Johnson who headed the ball towards Henry to turn in from close range.
Heath pulled a goal back on the half-hour when Mark Goldson played the ball wide to Sean Terry on the right. He advanced towards goal before playing it back into the path of Goldson who scuffed his shot – but Louis Evans pounced on the loose ball to hammer it home from close range to make it 2-1 at the break.
Heath drew level within minutes of the restart with a move started and finished by Terry.
Having won the ball off a Merstham player the Bears full-back played it forward to Mason Doughty in the middle of the park who in turn played it wide to the path of Callum Dowdell. Sprinting away down the wing, he played it back inside to Terry who struck a shot that was blocked by a defender. The ball found its way out to Jamie Buchanan, who returned it into the middle where Terry ran into the space to head home from six yards.
The hosts had a couple of great chances to regain the lead. Olu Laway struck a left-foot shot from the edge of the area just wide of the post and Dean Gunner powered a header high over the bar.
The winner arrived 15 minutes from time and involved seven Heath players, ending with a cross by Eugene Moteane to Adam Adam at the far post, whose diving header completed the Bears' victory and gained revenge for Merstham’s win at Broadbridge Heath a month ago.
Heath boss Chris Simmons said: "The lads battled back really well but we should never have been 2-0 down. We had the majority of possession but just gave the ball away cheaply and Merstham are really good going forward. A draw probably would have been a fair result but we deserve a bit of luck after recent weeks."
MoM; Brad Peters
BBH: Hadfield, Terry, Chesworth (Sim 46), Marino (Waddingham 88), Bromage, Peters, Dowdell (Adam 62), Buchanan, Goldson (Cranmer-Flynn 94), Evans, Doughty (Moteane 74).