Pope and Brewer send Hill through in FA Trophy – Broadbridge Heath win too

Ben Pope and Alex Brewer both got on the scoresheet as Burgess Hill Town progressed through to the 2nd Qualifying Round of the Isuzu FA Trophy with a 2-0 win over Southall.

It was Pope’s first goal of the season and a contender for goal of the season in an excellent display from the forward whilst young striker Brewer doubled the lead with his third goal of the season.

With a busy schedule of league and cup games joint managers Gary Mansell and Jay Lovett made seven changes with Reggie Ward, Lewis Taylor, Elliott Bresciani, Alex Brewer, Brannon O’Neill, Ollie Davies and Marcel Powell coming into the side.

Powell rejoined the Hillians in the week, returning to the HomeCall Carpets Community Stadium after moving to Southern League side Hungerford Town in the summer. He was also registered at Hayes & Yeading but had his registrations cancelled in the week to return to the Hill.

Hill got off to the perfect start as Southall’s goalkeeper Kojusoluwa Abayomi cleared it straight to Ben Pope close to the halfway line and he hits it perfectly first time on the half volley and the ball flew into the net.

The hosts tried to respond and on 13 minutes some lovely play down the left sees them cut back inside and aim for the far corner, a crucial deflection sees it off for a corner which was comfortably dealt with.

Southall thought they had equalised from another corner but the linesman was quick to raise his flag and then straight down the other end O’Neill leads a Hill counter attack and slips in Davies who bears down on goal but smashes wide. Hill keeper Slav Huk comfortably saved a 20 yard effort from as the hosts attempted to get level.

On 26 minutes the Hillians made it 2-0 with a superbly worked goal. Pope keeps the ball alive and then beats his man and fires it across for the onrushing Brewer to slam home from 12 yards.

Player/assistant manager Lewis Taylor then pulled up with an injury and last week’s FA Cup goalscoring hero Nathan Cooper entered the action.

The hosts, who went into the game full of confidence following the midweek 4-0 Trophy win over Lancing, tried to pull a goal back before half time but the Hillians held strong. A cross in from the left see’s an unmarked man heads it well over when he should have hit target and then from a long throw they fire well over the bar.

It could have been three for the Hillians on the stroke of half-time as a free-flowing passing move cut the hosts apart. Davies bombed down the left, he pulled it for Brewer whose shot was blocked before Pope fired at the GK. Hill were forced into another defensive change at half time as Alex Malins came on for Elliot Bresciani who picked up a knock.

It was nearly game over on 56 minutes as the Hillians counter attacked. Kieran Rowe, who was making his 100th appearance for the Club, started it and Powell flew down the right, he crossed perfectly for Brewer but he volleyed just wide.

Southall threatened to get back into the game but they fired over from 25 yards. Straight down the other end, Pope went clean through but couldn’t double his tally.

O’Neil struck a superb free kick up and over the wall but the hosts’ goalkeeper made an excellent save and then Pope was unmarked from a corner but bulleted his header wide as Hill tried to kill the game off.

It was Pope’s last action of the afternoon as he was withdrawn for Harry Lawson. An excellent performance from the forward who was deservedly man of the match. With 9 minutes remaining Malins superbly headed one off the line to deny the hosts a grandstand finish.

The last chance of the game fell to the Hill with sub Hamish Morrison close to wrapping it up. A deflected Rowe strike fell to him but he couldn’t convert but it mattered not as the whistle went and the Hill progressed.

The Hillians now turn their attention to Tuesday night’s League fixture with Lancing and can look forward to finding out who we will face in the next round of the FA Trophy on Monday.

Hillians: Slav Huk, Bobby Price, Reggie Ward, Lewis Taylor (Nathan Cooper 31), Elliott Bresciani (Alex Malins 46), Brannon O’Neill, Ollie Davies, Kieran Rowe, Alex Brewer (Hamish Morrison 73), Ben Pope (Harry Lawson 64), Marcel Powell (Ryan Worrall 81).

Badshot Lea 0 Broadbridge Heath 4

FA Trophy

Broadbridge Heath travelled to Isthmian Central side Badshot Lea looking to progress to the 2nd qualifying round of the FA Trophy for the first time in the club's history.

Heath manager Chris Simmons made four changes to the starting XI that beat Faversham in the FA Cup on Tuesday, rotating the squad to share the workload in a busy run of fixtures.

The young home side started the better of the two sides and were playing some excellent football without troubling the Heath goal, and the first real shot of the game came on 17 minutes when Matt Penfold found space 25 yards out from goal and his long range effort was comfortably saved by the Badshot Keeper.

On 23 minutes the home side should have gone in front when a break down the right hand side led to a cross but the young Badshot forward shot wide of the target. Heath were causing the home side problems from all set pieces and on 32 minutes a free kick by Callum Dowdell was met by Tad Bromage, his header cannoned of the post but fellow centre back partner Sal Marino smashed in the rebound to give Heath the lead. 0-1. Only two minutes later a long throw by Sim caused problems in the Badshot box and Owen Cranmer-Flynn scored his first goal for Broadbridge Heath to make it 0-2. The home side were still pushing and had another good opportunity just before half-time but this time a great block from Bromage kept the scoreline at 0-2.

Heath started the 2nd half much better and after only a couple of minutes a good move down the left hand side found Dowdell in space and he unleashed a shot from distance, his curling effort was just wide of the target. On 55 minutes an attack down the right from James Archard found Oli Leslie and his pinpoint cross to Dowdell and he smashed the ball past the Badshot keeper. 0-3

Badshot never gave up and came straight back at Heath and forced Hadfield into an excellent save, on 75 minutes Heath scored again with the goal of the game, the ball fell to Charlie Parmiter 25 yards out and his curling effort flew past the diving Badshot keeper to make it 0-4 and kill the game off.

So the Bears progress into the 2nd Qualifying round of the FA Trophy for the first time in the club's history.

Simmons said afterwards: “I am really pleased with the result after a tough week, the lads have been really working hard and are starting to see the rewards.

"Badshot are an excellent young side and moved the ball around really well but just lacked a bit of experience, it’s not often I can say that we looked bigger and more physical than an opponent at this level. We looked a bit leggy from Tuesday's efforts but in the end we were excellent and it was great to see four different scorers and of course a clean sheet.”

MOM: Matt Penfold

Heath: Hadfield, Sim, Dyson (Chesworth 70), Penfold, Bromage, Marino (Archard 55), Dowdell (Lindsey 60), Buchanan, Cranmer-Flynn, Evans (Hay 60), Leslie (Parmiter 70).