I don’t think too many people could have predicted this result before the game with Loxwood on a good run of form, playing well and aiming for a top three finish but then Broadbridge Heath under Steve Painter are very unpredictable themselves having already beaten the top three of Horsham, Eastbourne Town and Newhaven this season, so perhaps it shouldn’t have been such a surprise for Heath to add the Magpies scalp to that list.

Heath started well with Tim Martin taking a shot from distance that went a yard wide of the left post and Jake Holmes played a neat one-two with Tiago Andrade on the edge of the penalty area but shot just over the crossbar. On 15 minutes Holmes played a right wing cross to Martin who beat the keeper but saw his shot cleared off the line by a defender.

The visitors gradually grew into the game and had their first attempt at goal on 18 mins when Ollie Moore got on the end of a free kick to power a header towards goal which Michael Chester saved comfortably. At the other end a Piers McDermott free kick was played into Tiago Andrade but again the Heath player’s effort was wide of the mark.

As has been the case a number of times this season Heath were punished for those missed chances when the visitors took the lead 12 mins before the break, the ball was played into a crowded Heath penalty area, Chester cleared his lines but it fell kindly to Ross Swaine who buried it from 8 yards.

Loxwood’s Charlie Pitcher had the first noteworthy chance in the 50th min but shot over the crossbar from 20 yards. Heath were level 2 mins later when a long ball was played down the middle of the park allowing Tim Martin to run through on goal and as the keeper Sam Smith came out he lobbed the ball over his head into an unguarded goal. 3 mins later is was 2-1 to Heath when Dan Attwater picked up the ball deep in his own half and ran through the heart of the Loxwood midfield before releasing Scott Weller who drew the keeper and slotted into the far corner with his right foot. Two soon became three when Andrade finally found the back of the net from 8 yards, the referee at first disallowed the goal for offside but after consultation with his linesman, who had flagged for Holmes being in an offside position not Andrade, so rightly the goal stood.

Loxwood looked a dejected team now and on 77 minutes Heath scored their fourth from the penalty spot after Andrade had been brought down by the Loxwood keeper, how Smith wasn’t shown a red card or at minimum a yellow is baffling as Andrade was only 6 yards from goal when he was upended and about to shoot into an empty net. Holmes placed the ball on the spot and hammered a right foot shot that was well saved by Smith but it came straight back to the Heath striker who made certain with his second attempt.

Loxwood were thrown a lifeline a minute later when a free kick was played into the Heath penalty area, the referee blew his whistle and everyone stood around in silence trying to understand what decision had been given, eventually it was clear he had awarded the visitors a penalty for pushing, and former Heath player Ollie Moore made sure from the spot. A soft goal to concede at best and a booking for Martyn Flack even stranger given Smith had not received and punishment for bringing down Andrade.

Any thoughts Loxwood had of a comeback were dashed minutes later when Heath made it 5-2, Tim Martin whipped in a corner from the right and Andy Waddingham powered a header past Smith to wrap up the scoring. A good night for Heath who thoroughly deserved the win in their last home game of the season.

Team: M.Chester, S.Chester, Robinson, Flack, Attwater, Waddingham, McDermott, Weller (D.Robinson 80), Martin (M.Clark 85), Andrade, Holmes.