McDermott leaves it late as Broadbridge Heath knock Selsey out of the cup again
An impressive Heath performance was only rewarded with penalties looming as Piers McDermott finally broke the deadlock to send Selsey crashing out of the RUR Charity Cup and book a quarter-final tie with Mile Oak.
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Hide AdOn a cold winter’s evening in front of a sparse crowd with most comfortably at home watching England against Germany, Heath went in missing a number of first team players.
Steve Painter’s side started brightly with Kieron Purkis and Jamal Sultan causing problems down both flanks and Tiago Andrade mesmerizing the Selsey defence with his close control and dribbling ability.
In fact Heath had just about everything apart find from the final ball. Despite all the chances that Heath created though it was Selsey who almost took the lead with their first noteworthy effort on 30 minutes when Omar Buglei intercepted a crossfield pass, ran through on goal but was denied by a brilliant save by Heath keeper James Fisher.
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Hide AdWithin a minute at the other end it was Richer who denied Purkis with an acrobatic low save to his right pushing the ball out as far as Andrade, but the Heath striker lost his footing at the wrong time and the goal went begging.
The second half started far more evenly but without either keeper being troubled too much, Heath’s best chance came on 76 minutes when Purkis, who had his best game since joining Heath from Haywards Heath, got round the back of the Selsey defence and cutback to Andrade who again fired straight into the arms of Richer.
Fisher made another brilliant save into extra-time, though the introduction of Merv Bhujun from the bench swayed things Heath’s way as he used his pace again tiring defenders.
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Hide AdThree minutes into the second half of extra-time and McDermott finally broke the deadlock.
Receiving the ball in centre some 30 yards from goal, the Heath midfielder hit a shot as sweet as you like that flew past Richer, giving the Selsey man of the match no chance with a goal worthy of winning the match.
Bhujun missed a great chance for a second but it was of little concern as Heath set up an away match with Mile Oak.
BBH: Fisher, Chester, Alfieri, Flack, Miller, Moore, Waddingham, McDermott, Andrade, Purkis (Wood 118), Sultan (Bhujun 100).