Heathens Leave it Late

The Heathens kicked off their 2023/24 Combined Counties Premier North Division league campaign by welcoming former Step 4 side Bedford Sports FC on Saturday.

Having been relegated the previous season, the visitors were always going to be a tough test seeing as promotion straight back up would be their main priority.

It was an even affair for much of the game with a clinical final 10 minutes from the Reds proving to be too much for the visitors.

But it was Jethro Odumosu who got things started in the 24th minute. A trademark driving run down the left ended when he fired a cross in to the box, a Bedfont defender deflected it back to the waiting Odumosu, who made no mistake firing the ball in to the top right corner from 10 yards.

It wasn’t long before Bedfont found themselves back in the game though, after working their way down the right side a looping cross was sent in, despite Brookers height it looked over his head and Harry Bitmead rushed in and bundle it in to draw the scores level.

(HT 1-1)

The second half continued in the same pattern with both sides playing some nice football but not taking their chances.

In the 79th minute a neat one two saw the substitute Cory Hathaway bursting in to the box with the ball at his feet, the Bedford Sports defender lunged in and Hathaway cleverly nudged the ball forward and the defender cleaned him out. No questions, penalty given.
Marcus Mealing duly stepped up and fired the resulting spot kick in to the roof of the net at great speed leaving the keeper no chance and putting the Reds back in front.

Minutes later it was another substitute who really stole the show, an 84th minute free kick on the right hand side was swung in by Sam Coles, a determined Abdellah El Jalaoui waited in the box, beating the two men around him and sending a looping header back across goal and inside the far post.

It was El Jalaoui who provided the killer blow 3 minutes later. Picking the ball up on the left hand touch line he drove forward and across the edge of the box, under pressure he let a low scraping shot go. With the keeper wrong footed the ball found its way just inside the near post. With minutes to go that was the game wrapped up. Another competent, patient and clinical performance by the Reds after a good start in the FA Cup the week before.
They now face Wallingford & Crowmarsh FC away from home in the league this Tuesday before hosting Cirencester Town FC in the next round of the FA Cup on Saturday.

Photo: Glenn Alcock