The teams played out a 0-0 draw in the corresponding fixture last year at Oaklands Park but this was no snore-draw and there was plenty of goal mouth drama as City kept a third clean sheet.

The visitors came into the match on the back of a nine goal thriller against Lingfield with striker Devon Fender hitting a hat-trick, and early SCFL premier division pace setters Chi certainly have goals in them, bagging ten in their opening three league matches.

Heath’s Lee Carney had the first chance of the game on 12 minutes when he ghosted in round the back only to fire over.

Chichester then forced a series of corners. Scott Jones, who worked tirelessly all evening, headed one of these narrowly off target. Then Matt Axell, in his first start at his new club, picked out George Way but a defender blocked his fierce shot, before a measured cross from Rob Hutchings was turned behind for another corner that came to nothing.

Fender gave Jordan Matthews something to think about in the 24th minute but the Chi No.1 gathered easily enough.

Just before the half hour mark Axell blazed over following a swift move by the home side.

Then Max Howell got past Kieran Hartley down the right wing but there was no one in the box when he drilled the ball in.

Way had another go in the next Chi attack but Mark Fox punched his effort clear.

The deadlock might have been broken by Carney with a clever lob but Matthews read it well and scrambled back to tip the ball over his bar for the Bears first corner.

Howell, having switched flanks, then skipped past Terrell Lewis but couldn’t quite reach Fender with his cut-back.

A super cross-field pass from Jones fell to Hutchings. Hutchings fed the ball to an overlapping Lewis who picked out Jones, only for the striker to head wide.

And at the other end George Cousins missed the best opportunity of the half when he dragged an effort past the post in time added on.

HT 0-0

Chances came and went for both teams in a frantic first five minutes after the break.

Jones almost beat Fox at his near post with a smart shot and then nearly caught the Bears keeper out when a Hutchings cross cannoned off him, before Fender flashed one inches past the upright.

Next Howell was denied a shot on goal when Ben Pashley got in a well-timed tackle.

Then former Heath player Tiago Andrade linked up nicely with Lewis but both Connor Cody and Jones went for the ball when the full-back sent his cross over and the opportunity went begging.

Matthews managed to gather the ball at the second time of asking under pressure from two forwards after a corner was whipped in, and the keeper got both his gloves behind a good strike from Cousins moments later.

On 64 minutes Dave Herbert tested Fox with a fierce drive.

City boss Miles Rutherford changed things up, introducing Sam Ndlovu and Jimmy Wild for Andrade and Herbert.

Ndlovu caused Heath trouble down the left hand side almost immediately.

Then Cody shot wide on the turn before Hartley hooked away a Carney set-piece from Fender as he steadied himself to shoot.

Ndlovu wasn’t far off with a curling effort before Hutchings, latching onto a Jones pass, fired into the side-netting.

Next Way had two good chances. The first was turned round for a corner. This was taken intelligently by Axell towards Way on the edge of the box who shot narrowly wide.

Fender called Matthews into action with ten minutes to go and then had his defenders to thank for a couple of blocks as Heath pressed.

Chi might have nicked it late on, as they did in the previous match against Horsham YMCA.
A lovely flick on from Jones teed up Hutchings but his effort was saved and in stoppage time Jones rose to meet a Hutchings cross but headed down just past the upright.

Pagham’s 7-1 win at Loxwood means City’s local rivals leapfrog them at the top of the table on goal difference.

Chichester and Broadbridge Heath meet again on Saturday in the Peter Bentley Cup at the Leisure Centre (Kick Off 3pm)

Chichester – Matthews, Lewis, Hartley, Way, Cody, Pashley, Dave Herbert, Axell, Jones, Andrade, Hutchings. Subs: Peake, Steve Herbert, Martin, Ndlovu, Wild

Broadbridge Heath – Fox, Jones, Robinson, Flack, Maxwell, Bold, Carney, Weller, Fender, Cousins, Howell. Subs: Hands, Findlay, Chowney, Trigwell