Loxwood 0, Broadbridge Heath 2: Solid Heath secure Peter Bentley Cup semi-final spot

Broadbridge Heath booked their spot in the semi-finals of the Peter Bentley Cup with a solid display at local rivals Loxwood tonight.
Football

Southern Combination League Premiere Division Football.
Broadbridge Heath v Hailsham Town. 
Action from the match.
Action before the goal score.
Reporter: Oli Berry
Picture: Liz Pearce 01/01/2016
LP1600988 SUS-160110-205452008Football

Southern Combination League Premiere Division Football.
Broadbridge Heath v Hailsham Town. 
Action from the match.
Action before the goal score.
Reporter: Oli Berry
Picture: Liz Pearce 01/01/2016
LP1600988 SUS-160110-205452008
Football Southern Combination League Premiere Division Football. Broadbridge Heath v Hailsham Town. Action from the match. Action before the goal score. Reporter: Oli Berry Picture: Liz Pearce 01/01/2016 LP1600988 SUS-160110-205452008

Two quickfire first-half goals from Rob Godfrey and Tiago Andrade put the Bears in the driving seat and they comfortably shut out their hosts in the fourth-round clash.

It was an accomplished showing from Heath, particularly at the back, as the Magpies struggled to create any sort of clear-cut chances to haul themselves back into the game as the visitors clinched a fully-deserved victory.

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The opening exchanges were fairly even as Ollie Moore skewed wide early on against his former club from a misplaced Harrison Hilfiker clearance.

Mark Cave then dispossessed his ex-midfield team-mate, who returned to Heath in the summer, and his low shot from range was fumbled by Michael Chester, but Charlie Pitcher was penalised when he raced in to challenge the ball.

Pitcher then hit a loose ball well wide after a quickly-taken Cave free-kick was crossed in by Jon Dollery.

Heath took the lead on 16 minutes from a quick counter attack as Andrade held the ball up on the halfway line and put away Jamal Sultan down the right.

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He slipped in Godfrey, who had raced forwards from right-back, and he first rode a light tackle, before expertly curling home low inside the far post.

Just two minutes later it was 2-0 as Andrade smashed a free-kick from just outside the box, high down the middle of the goal, which Hilfiker couldn’t get away.

The remainder of the first half was a tame affair with neither keeper being called into action. Loxwood flashed a couple of balls across the box from Joel Colbran and Cave, but both found empty areas and were cleared.

Heath brought on Scott Weller for Piers McDermott at half-time and he was soon into the action as his teasing cross found Marlon Maxwell, who stole a march, but somehow put his powerful header over the bar.

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Jay Lovett, who was replaced in the starting line-up by Eddie French after arriving late, came off the bench for the Magpies, but it was Heath looking the more likely to extend their lead.

Weller won the ball in midfield and drove at Lewis Scally, before seeing his effort come back off the outside of the post and straight to a grateful Hilfiker.

Loxwood had a good spell of possession, but again failed to break down the impressive Heath back four, while, at the other end, Heath substitute Jake Holmes forced a blocked save from Hilfiker.

The hosts switched to three at the back, but the closest they came to testing Stuart Chester was a corner from Rhyan Ramsey that flew across the goalmouth untouched.

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As Heath looked to seal it, Moore fired wide of the post after a quick counter and deep into injury-time, while Holmes missed a golden chance to add further gloss to the scoreline.

Loxwood: Hilfiker, Jacques, French, Scally, Colbran (Jee 78), Wood (Ramsey 78), Napper, Dollery, Cave, House (Lovett 55), Pitcher. Unused: Enticknap, Daniel.

Heath: M.Chester, Godfrey, Maxwell, S.Chester, Robinson, Sultan, Moore, McDermott (Weller 45), Findlay, Martin (Holmes 56), Andrade (Sandell 85). Unused: Howard, Maher.

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