Newhaven 0-1 Broadbridge Heath

This was probably the pick of the games in the Premier division on Saturday when two of the top three in the division clashed at Fort Road with third placed Broadbridge Heath away to leaders Newhaven who are fresh from winning the Premier division team of the month for September and coming into the game on a run of eight league matches unbeaten.

With strikers Jamie Taylor, Mason Doughty, Charlie Parmiter and Renato Carvalho all unavailable for the match Heath Manager Chris Simmons brought in former Horsham YMCA and Burgess Hill striker Alex Barbary to partner Lewis Croal up front on the newly laid 3G surface.

The game itself didn’t live up to pre-match expectations with both sides struggling to get any real fluency, the hosts only having one notable shot on goal in the entire match midway through the half when Alfie Rogers drilled a low free kick straight to the arms of Liam Matthews who gathered comfortably, while Heath’s best chance of the half came in injury time when a cross from the left to the far post was headed goalwards by Ryan Brackpool forcing Newhaven keeper Jake Buss to make a good save low to his left.

Heath started the second half better and the pendulum swung in their favour 10 minutes into the restart when Alex Plummer’s later challenge on Louie Evans saw the defender pick up his second caution of the game followed immediately by a red and the Dockers were down to ten.
Despite the extra man chances were hard to come by with Heath having more possession but the hosts looking dangerous on the break especially with the prolific goal scorer Lee Robinson an ever present danger.

The only goal of the match was scored midway through the half when Lewis Croal picked up the ball in his own half, advanced to the halfway line before playing an inch perfect pass dissecting the Newhaven defence and allowing Louis Evans to run though on goal, with the keeper rushing off his line the midfielder played an early left foot shot wide of Buss into the bottom right corner to earn his team the points that see them move above their hosts into second place.

Next Up for The Bears is a trip to Peacehaven & Telscombe on Tuesday 11th for a Sussex Senior Cup tie.

Team: Matthews, Frankland (Terry 75), Chesworth, Sim, Brackpool, Penfold, Weller, Evans (Mark 74), Croal, Barbary, Lemon (Cooksley 75).