Pictures and report: Haywards Heath are off to Herne Bay for play-off semi-final

Saturday’s 2-1 loss to VCD Athletic and results around the top five mean Haywards Heath travel to Herne Bay on Tuesday night for a play-off semi final in the Isthmian South East Division.

Two first-half goals from VCD top scorer Youseff Bamba put the game to bed early with Byron Napper’s late volley not enough to get the Blues a result.

Town are champions - three more trophies wanted now.

Elsewhere Herne Bay relegated Phoenix Sports with a 3-0 win away from home and with Cray Valley finishing fifth behind Haywards Heath it means the Blues finish fourth in the league and must travel to North Kent on Tuesday; while Ashford welcome Cray Valley PM to their ground the same evening.

See a slideshow from Heath v VCD in the video player above

Heath were 1-0 up at Bay earlier in the season when the match was abandoned as no replacement could be found for the injured ref. Heath were later awarded the match.

Reds beaten after Yems is suspended.

Of the VCD loss, Heath manager Dynan said: ‘I think they're good enough to put this down to a lesson and not take it to Tuesday. We'll do our best over the weekend to talk to the boys and rally them up for it.

"I've just told them about their second-half performance being fantastic and them being a lot better and pointed out the positives. So I think today will be dropped and we'll move on and we'll go to Kent - we’re good in Kent and we're looking forward to it.

"I’ve not lost to Herne Bay, yes it was only 45 minutes but we were one-nil up but convincing - we were much better than them."

Will the abandoned meeting make for tension on Tuesday? "We didn't leave on bad terms, myself and their manager. It was a case of me wanting to play the game and they didn’t and we got the points. I’ve not spoken to anyone from that team since I'm sure come Tuesday they’ll want to beat us.

"We need to dig in, we need to stay together as we have been and as close as we've been and show the togetherness we have in the past.

"But I’ve signed someone prior that we can announce now: I’ve got Louie Theophanous coming in for the play-offs, the boys know about it, they’ll welcome him in as they have with myself and my management. I’ve got no worries, we’re going in stronger."

Heath will hope Theophanous could be the player to fire them into a potential final with Ashford United or Cray Valley PM next Saturday at Aveley FC - and take them into the Isthmian Premier Division.