It’s tight at the bottom club but Heath edge it to go top

Traffic delays meant Heath started the match with a bare 11 players and a combination of positional changes and difficult conditions made for a testing start.

Dartford went ahead on 15 minutes but Heath soon found some rhythm and equalised after half an hour when Mel Harvey was found by a clever through ball.

There was a torrential downpour at the start of the second half that made conditions even trickier but Heath were first to find their feet and a calm finish by Leigh-anne Jordan put them ahead 10 minutes in.

Dartford held the initiative for much of the rest of the match but credit Heath keeper Bex Smallman for excellent handling and some fine saves.

Captain Jen Weller was Heath’s player of the match.

The 2nds emerged with plenty of credit despite losing 4-1 at Rusthall in Division 1W.

Once again they turned around still on level terms after both keepers had been kept busy, Tracey Smith pulling off one point blank save to keep it goalless.

Up the slope and against an increasingly strong wind, Heath went 4-0 down before Fiona Setford grabbed a deserved last minute consolation.

Heath’s young players are improving with each game and it was Setford who was chosen by the hosts as player of the match. Also much in their thoughts must have been Becky Collier.

1st team: Smallman; Harvey, Mel Bramley, Mica Saunders, Emily Hale, Hayley Nash, Jules Hawthorne, Weller, Jade Chapman, Rosh Nellis, Sadie Ashby, Jordan, Lou Creasey.

2nd team: Tracey Smith (capt), Hannah Harvey, Ellie Card, Sian Ford-Hunt, Danni Bishop, Emma Johnson, Shannon McFa dden, Amy Dix, Charlotte Fox, Collier, Sian Hamilton, Penny Gittins, Setford, Sharlotte Blythe.