Why Saturday is a big day for Haywards Heath Town FC - on two counts
Haywards Heath Town aim to make Saturday a celebration of non-league football – and get their play-off push back on track at the same time.
With the international break meaning there is no Premier League or Championship action this week, Saturday is Non League Day when clubs across the country try to attract some new supporters.
Heath are hosting Whitstable and have a bunch of local businesses attending with stalls and trucks to celebrate the non-league game.
They include Mid Sussex Hog Roast, Bedlam Brewery, Sussex Coffee Trucks and the Sloe Drinks Co.
A club spokesman said: “We’re hoping for a bumper crowd. We’re also releasing a ‘posterzine’ highlighting one of our players
“In addition, it’s an important game, with both sides needing points for different reasons.
“It’s all about supporting local non league when all the big teams aren’t playing.”
For Heath it’s a chance to put last week’s 3-2 home loss to Cray Valley PM, when the visitors nabbed a 90th-minute winner, behind them.
Boss Martin Dynan said the team’s defending was not good enough.
They were 2-0 down by the 36th minute but goals by Olly Allen and Tom Cadman pulled it back to 2-2 early in the second half, only for Cray Valley to pinch a late winner.
Dynan said: “We can’t expect to get results when we defend like that in the first half. We spoke at half time and something has obviously sat right with them and worked with them because they have come out a different animal.
“We’ve done enough, I feel, to get something out of it. It’s tough for me because we worked hard all week and we knew what they were about.
“There’s nothing can do for their free-kick but the other two goals you definitely can do something about.”
Dynan praised new recruit Allen, who was making his Heath bow.
The boss said: “It was a great first start for him, he gets a goal and works tirelessly. I know what I’m gonna get from Ollie and what his qualities are there.”
Meanwhile Burgess Hill also lost 3-2 – at East Grinstead. Strikes by Lewis Taylor and Dan Cadman cancelled out home goals but the Wasps got a 90th minute winner. Hill, who are ninth, visit eighth-placed Corinthian on Saturday.