Broadbridge Heath back on track at Saltdean – defeats for YMCA, Alfold, Roffey and Steyning

After a few below par performances in recent weeks the Bears got back to winning ways at Saltdean United on Saturday; although there were a few concerned faces among the Heath supporters at half-time with the score at 0-0 and having seen several good chances squandered.

First to have a strike at goal was Jack Frankland after 6 minutes, trying his luck with a right-foot shot from 30 yards, but that sailed high and wide. Heath went on to dominate the attacking play with the home side defending deep and rarely advancing outside their own half.

The Bears were attacking down both flanks, crosses and long throws were launched into the Saltdean penalty area but that final touch was all too often missing. On 26 minutes Mason Doughty advanced down the right before playing the ball into the path of Alex Barbary who drove into the box before striking a right foot shot wide of the keeper but also wide of the post.

Further chances came and went as Heath turned on the pressure with the best chance four minutes before the break when Frankland struck a left-foot shot from the edge of the box which the Saltdean keeper saved at full stretch, a minute later the defender took the ball to the right goal-line and played a low pass across the face of the goal to Sam Lemon steaming in from the left who struck the ball first time but the keeper somehow managed to stop it crossing the line to keep the score 0-0 at the break.

Heath finally broke the deadlock a minute after the restart; Louis Evans received the ball on the left side of the park and floated a right foot cross towards the far post where Alex Barbary rose high to head it in at the post. Barbary had the ball in the back of the net a few minutes later but was judged to have fouled a defender before striking the ball that went in off the post.

Heath made it 2-0 on the hour when Jamie Chesworth advanced down the left before crossing to Doughty with time and space at the far post and the striker rifled a right foot shot into the net from 12 yards.

With 10 minutes remaining Jamie Taylor came off the substitutes’ bench for his first game back in the side since picking up an injury back in August and within a minute the striker received the ball from a throw-in and tested the Saltdean keeper with a left foot half-volley from 18 yards.

In the closing minutes Liam Matthews, who had a very quiet afternoon, showed what a class keeper he is by making a superb full length save low to his left to deny Corby Overton from getting a late consolation goal for his team.

Overall it a good performance from the Bears but they still need to be a little more clinical in front of goal.

MOM: Alex Barbary & Louis Evans

Heath: Matthews, Chesworth (Pickering 65), Frankland (Clark 78), Weller, Sim, Brackpool, Parmiter, Evans, Barbary (Stephenson 80), Lemon (Symonds 70), Doughty (Taylor 80).

Elsewhere in the SCFL premier, Horsham YMCA were well beaten, 4-0 at Crawley Down Gatwick. Alfold went down 5-1 at home to Newhaven. Roffey lost 4-0 at home to Lingfield while Steyning were 2-0 losers at home to Eastbourne Town.