Hillians on the up – and Bears recover from loss to beat Wasps

Two goals in the three second half minutes saw Burgess Hill Town come from a goal down to beat Ashford United at the HomeCall Carpets Community Stadium.

The result see’s the Hillians move into the play-offs and into 5th in the table as Joe Overy’s superb strike saw the Hill win 2-1.

It was the visitors who threatened first as they beat the offside trap but defender Alex Malins produced a superb last ditch tackle to thwart the danger. Minutes later Gary Lockyer had the ball in the net for United but the linesman had already raised his flag for offside.

On 17 minutes the Hillians worked the ball well down the right and after a few crosses were blocked Stefan Vukoje shot over the bar. It was even closer soon after as the Hill hit the woodwork. Bobby Price cut inside and hit a shot that struck the outside of the post and went wide.

The hosts continued to threaten as skipper Brannon O’Neill curled inches wide and then recent signing Chris Whelpdale battered his way through the Ashford defence but fired over. Vukoje saw an effort blocked on the line by player manager Danny Kedwell before Price smashed a cross across the goal and Nathan Cooper could quite reach the ball to slide it home.

On 41 minutes both sides were reduced to 10 men when Hill’s Price and Ashford’s Preston Kedwell were both dismissed after a tussle that sparked a melee between the two sides.

Before half time Whelpdale sent a ball across the face of the goal which Ben Pope launches himself at but it was just out of reach as the Hillians and Ashford went in at the break level.

The visitors took the lead on 53 minutes as a lovely ball see’s them in down the left and Matthew Bodkin’s effort was prodded home by Jireh George.

Hillians looked to get back into it immediately and after a scramble in the box Mitchell Beeney saved from Ollie Davies. Beeney saved Whelpdale’s 25 yard effort before Slav Huk at the other end made a good save to deny Will Moses’ low shot.

Hillians were on level terms on 77 minutes as a cross from the left was headed into his own net by Moses under pressure from Davies and within three minutes the Hillians had turned it around.

Davies saw his effort saved by the feet of Beeney for a corner. O’Neill’s delivery was headed out only as far as sub Joe Overy who superbly struck an effort into the net.

Alex Brewer almost sealed the win with a third near the end but he smacks his effort inches wide but the Hillians were comfortable in the closing minutes to see out an important 2-1 win.

HILL: Slav Huk, Bobby Price, Hamish Morrison, Brannon O’Neill (Marcus Allen 89), Nathan Cooper, Alex Malins, Stefan Vukoje (Joe Overy 63), Kieran Rowe, Ben Pope (Alex Brewer 63), Chris Whelpdale, Ollie Davies (Reggie Ward 90). Not used: Lewis Taylor.

Burgess Hill 5 Lancing 0

Isthmian south east

by Dave Bradbury

Burgess Hill Town comfortably swept aside Lancing 5-0 to complete a league double over the Lancers this season in a match sponsored by Firemelon.

The Hillians went into the game in fine form and were never in any danger against struggling Lancing who had recently parted with their manager.

Managers Gary Mansell and Jay Lovett made a couple of changes with the important trip to Margate this Saturday no doubt in mind and it took just two minutes to go ahead.

Joe Overy received the ball on the left from Alex Brewer and cut inside after beating his man and his effort goalwards was nodded in by Chris Whelpdale for his first Hillians goal.

Hill carried on attacking and after a few half chances Brewer then raced through on goal but a good save from Alieu Secka denied him.

On 15 minutes it was 2-0 as a corner comes in and Secka flaps up in the air, no Lancing man clears it and Price hooks it from virtually on the goal-line.

Chances continued for the Hillians as Lancing could barely get out of their own half. A defensive clearance falls to Overy who’s out wide on the left but with an empty goal to aim at, he takes it first time but it lands on the roof of the net.

Whelpdale was denied a second as a header was brilliantly cleared off the line. Just before the break sub Brannon O’Neill, who came on for the injured Lewis Taylor, whipped in a free kick in which Brewer fires at goal but it was straight at Secka who saved comfortably to keep the score down at 2-0 at the break.

It was 3-0 5 minutes into the second half as some extended pressure down the right and eventually Hamish Morrison gets in behind and drills it across where Whelpdale takes a touch and smashes it top corner for his second of the night.

Four minutes later and it was 4-0 as Overy plays in Stefan Vukoje who cuts inside and smashes it bottom corner to net his first goal for the Club.

O’Neill flashed a free kick in and a man in green gets a touch to it but it somehow flashes wide as chances continued. Overy beats three Lancing players with considerable ease and does it again, gets to the box and forces a save out of Secka.

Like the first half the Hillians were again practically camped in Lancing’s half. O’Neill has an almighty wack from distance, Secka gets something on it and punches it in the air and Lancing eventually clear.

Hill break away again, Overy, again leads the charge before finding sub Ollie Davies who has his shot blocked. Soon after Brewer smacks the post before he tries an overhead kick which hits a Lancing man.

Skipper O’Neill got his name on the scoresheet in the 90th minute when his effort is deflected in. He could have made it 6 right at the end but Secka saved when through on goal.

The game finished at 5-0 with the Hillians dominating this game from start to finish with sponsors Firemelon awarding man of the match to Joe Overy.

Hill: Slav Huk, Bobby Price, Hamish Morrison (Reggie Ward 56), Lewis Taylor (Brannon O’Neill 19), Nathan Cooper (Alex Malins 68), Marcus Allen, Stefan Vukoje, Kieran Rowe, Alex Brewer (Ben Pope 81), Chris Whelpdale (Ollie Davies 56), Joe Overy.

Broadbridge Heath 1-2 Margate

Isthmian south east

Report from BHFC

Our first ever match against Margate a team with a great FA Cup pedigree but following relegation last season, a team with one aim this season, promotion back to the Isthmian League Premier Division.

The visitors, with just one league defeat this season, made a good start to the match with Ben Allen forcing Heath keeper Alfie Hadfield into the first save of the match on 8 minutes with a fierce shot from distance that was pushed away for a corner.

On 12 minutes another chance came for the visitor’s when Ben Greenhaigh crossed from the left to skipper Harry Hudson at the far post but his first time strike came off the outside of the post but a minute later Margate should have been a goal up when a coming together of two players inside the penalty area, saw the match referee point to the spot and Ibrahim Olutrade stepped up and drilled a low right foot shot to the right of Hadfield but the Heath keeper made a superb diving save to deny the visitors.

At the other end Sean Terry ran at the Margate defence and then hammered a right foot shot that flew narrowly wide of the post.

Hadfield was in action again on 27 minutes making another good save low to his right from Kai Garande left foot shot from distance.

But it was The Bears who took the lead on 30 minutes when Mason Doughty broke away down the right before playing the ball across the goal to Charlie Parmiter who struck it first time but was denied by The Margate keeper Tom Wray pushing the ball wide for a corner. Callum Dowdell played the corner into the danger area where if fell kindly for Matt Hay to convert from close range.

The visitor’s responded well and came close on 34 minutes when Jordon Ababio broke away down the right and crossed to Olutade but the Margate striker fired his effort over the crossbar.

Three minutes from the break the visitors drew level when a corner was played in from the left the ball was cleared to the edge of the penalty area and a shot through the crowd of players was well saved by Hadfield, only for Lewis Knight, making his 100th appearance for the Gate, to put it into the net to make it 1-1 at the break, Heath players all appealed for what looked like a certain offside but nothing given.

Margate took the lead minutes into the restart when Jordan Abibio attacked down the right flank and struck a fierce right foot shot that flew low into the bottom left corner of the net.

Heath had their chances to draw level with Ramsgate keeper Tom Wray denying Mason Doughty with a fine save, Sam Lemon having his shot blocked on the line and Stan Berry heading over the bar when well placed but it remained 2-1 to Margate at the final whistle.

Simmons said afterwards: "We were excellent today and it was only a couple of poor decisions that were the difference between us getting something out of the game, there was a foul in the build up to there equaliser and it was at least two yards offside, unfortunately with no VAR we don’t seem to get those decisions. Margate are a great side which is why it was so disappointing to not get at least the draw we deserved on the day.”

Man of the Match; Alfie Hadfield

BBH: Hadfield, Sim (Chesworth 25), Terry (Berry 81), Buchanan, Peters, Marino, Dowdell, Parmiter, Goldson, Hay (Evans 65), Doughty (Lemon 53).

Broadbridge Heath 4-2 East Grinstead Town

Isthmian south east

Report from BHFC

Heath welcomed East Grinstead Town to the BodyMould Community Stadium on a pleasant Tuesday evening in November for a Pitching In, Isthmian League South-East Division fixture.

When the two sides met earlier in the season on the 10th September it was the Bears who picked up all three points in a 2-1 win thanks to a 93rd minute strike from Heath’s Charlie Parmiter but coming into this game Chris Simmons side were on their worst run of the season with four league defeats on the trot and hoping to change things with victory over the Wasps tonight.

Heath started well and on the 12th minute could have been in front from Goldsons strike, then in the 31st minute a Matt Hay break down the right and cross gave Goldson an excellent chance to open the scoring but he placed his shot wide of the target after that exchanges were pretty even, for the visitor’s Marcel Campbell tried his luck with a shot from distance and at the other end Matt Hay, linking up well with Sam Lemon, hit a right foot shot from 25 yards but neither troubled the opposition goal-keepers.

On 39 minutes the Wasps were awarded a free kick wide on the right, they piled forward leaving just one man back with Heath’s Mason Doughty. The free kick was played deep towards the far post before falling to Jamie Buchanan who’d spotted Doughty on the halfway line and played a long ball forward for the Heath striker to chase which he did with aplomb leaving his marker trailing behind. Finlay Westen the Grinstead goalkeeper came sprinting off his line to meet him but Doughty was too quick and knocked the ball past the keeper and went on to score into an empty net for his third of the season.

The Bears made it 2-0 in first-half injury time when Matt Hay won the ball off Khalifa Jabbie wide on the right, he drove into the penalty area and picked his spot with a right foot shot into the bottom left corner.

Heath added a third 5 minutes into the restart when Buchanan sent Doughty scampering away down the right flank, he took the ball towards the goal-line before playing it inside to Mark Goldson on the edge of the box who turned on a sixpence and hit a left foot shot that kept low and went in at the post.

The visitors pulled a goal back on 62 minutes with a flowing move down the left flank that saw Matthew Daniel play the ball out wide to Connor Tighe and then continue his run into the penalty area where he received the ball back from Tighe and hammered a left foot shot that flew in a the near post.

Things got even better for Grinstead 3 minutes later when Oliver Spinks picked out Tighe wide on the left just outside the penalty area and the striker forced his way past two Heath players to rifle a left foot shot past Heath goalkeeper Alfie Hadfield to reduce the deficit to a single goal.

Neither side create many clear chances after that, for the visitors Tighe had a shot from the edge of the box blocked by Sean Terry, and for Heath Matt Hay hit a right foot shot that was gathered comfortably by Westen.

Into the closing stages Sean Terry, in the right back position, intercepted a Wasps through ball cleared the ball into the opposition half where Callum Dowdell saw his chance to get on the end of it and he collected the ball and ran straight towards the Grinstead goal before drilling a low shot into the net to secure Heath’s victory.

The win see the Bears move above their opponents into 12th place ahead of their trip on Saturday to division leaders Beckenham Town.

Simmons said afterwards: “We were excellent for probably 70 minutes out of the 90 apart from a 15-20 minute wobble where we just stopped doing everything we had been doing well, we could have been 4 up at half time and I don’t think anyone would of argued and apart from the nervous patch after the 1st East Grinstead goal we could of scored a lot more and were well worth the 3 points tonight.”

MOM: Jamie Buchanan

BBH: Hadfield, Terry, Chesworth, Buchanan, Marino, Lemon (Dowdell 75), Parmiter (Peters 75), Goldson (Croal 86), Hay, Doughty (Berry 60).