Sweet revenge

Burgess Hill Town 3
graham martin burgess hill fc v walton & hershamgraham martin burgess hill fc v walton & hersham
graham martin burgess hill fc v walton & hersham

Walton & Hersham 2

by Chris Francis

Hillians gained sweet and well deserved revenge for a drubbing in the opening week of the season but even so it was a nervous last 10 minutes or so.

graham martin burgess hill fc v walton & hershamgraham martin burgess hill fc v walton & hersham
graham martin burgess hill fc v walton & hersham

Even the visiting manager admitted Hill were the better team, saying they played some really nice football at times, and while Ian Chapman concurred, he added the game should really have been put to bed before his side were pegged back to 3-2 late on.

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“But in saying that I’m really pleased with my squad and the way we’ve been playing,” he said. Even taking out several key players like Lee Denyer, Sam Fisk, Toby Pointing and Stuart Tuck, we still played well.”

All three of their first-half goals were memorable strikes, with Graham Martin capping an excellent game with his first goal for the club.

Greg Luer, now signed on contract by Hillians, did well on the left and when his cross was only half cleared, Martin returned it from 22 yards with a superb half volley.

It was a real surprise when the visitors levelled on 16 minutes but Hillians rerror of judgement by keeper Alan Mansfield was clinically punished by Samad Kazi, who easily rounded the home keeper outside the box and converted from wide out.

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But the response was swift and devastating as Luer again did well before the ball broke for Pat Harding to dispatch it in blistering style.

It should have been the springboard for a comfortable win when another explosive finish, this time by Luer on 28 minutes, made it 3-1.

But Curtis Gayler was inches too high with a delicious curler and then Joe Keehan headed just over from a Gayler corner before two reminders of the possible dangers came either side of half time.

Curd had to clear from near the line when big Will Turn did well to hook the ball past Mansfield and then inside the first minute of the second half Mansfield did well to deny Kazi after an incident where some of the visiting fans felt Keehan’s illegal intervention merited a red card.

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Keehan was not even spoken to by referee Gary Read, who had earlier carded Martin and later dispensed three more yellows, including to home sub Max Miller.

The last three cards came in stoppage time when Hillians were hanging on after Turl had reduced the deficit with a looping header over Mansfield.

Hillians: Mansfield; Watts, Curd, Keehan, Slaughter; Harding, Kirkwood, Budd, Martin, Gayler (Howell, 86); Luer (Miller, 84). Middy Starman: Graham Martin.sponded within a minute.