Injury time equaliser hands Heath a point after dramatic late comeback

JPCT 150314 S14120702x Football. Broadbridge Heath v AFC Uckfield -photo by Steve Cobb SUS-140317-095447002

The best early chance fell to Tiago Andrade who completed an acrobatic overhead kick, but the effort went wide of the visitors’ goal.

Haywards Heath took the lead midway through the half with a goal of the season contender. Mark Bevan hit a right foot shot 35 yards from goal that kept low and flew past Heath keeper James Fisher.

That goal inspired the visitors who went on to dominate the half, adding a second goal ten minutes before the break when Alex Bygraves scored directly from a corner. It may have been fortunate but Haywards Heath fully deserved their half time lead.

Broadbridge Heath found a goal back in the game’s final 15 minutes. Piers McDermott picked out Martyn Flack on the penalty spot who buried his header.

Suddenly Heath were swarming all over the visitors in pursuit of the equaliser, even after they were reduced to ten players when Saz Bidgood was carried off with a knee injury.

In time added on Heath won a corner and Flack rose above everyone to head the ball into the net for the second time to make it 2-2.

It was a superb comeback for Heath - though Bidgood will probably miss the rest of the season with knee ligament damage.

BBH: Fisher, Etherington, Alfieri, Flack, Howard, Bidgood, Waddingham (McDermott 45), Godfrey, Andrade, Purkis (Holmes 75), Sultan (Wood 45).