Broadbridge Heath 2-1 Lancing

The Bears had more possession than their visitors in the first half on a cold breezy day at the Leisure Centre but neither side troubled their opponent’s keeper too much with the final ball all too often intercepted and cleared by a defender.

Lancing’s best chances were in the opening minutes; David Charman got on the end of a free kick from the right but put his header wide of the post and Mark Goldson fired off a shot from the edge of the penalty area which was saved comfortably by Michael Chester.

At the other end, midway through the half Tom Bolds free kick from 25 yards forced the Lancing keeper Mark Stuart to save on the line and minutes later Stuart was forced to save a Devon Fender left foot shot but the game remained goalless at the break.

Whereas the first half was a fairly even affair that couldn’t be said of the second as Heath dominated play for long periods and took an early lead within 3 minutes of the restart when Shaun Findlay got on the end of a Tom Bold corner to power a header past Stuart into the roof of the net.

Minutes later Fender broke away down the right and unleashed a right foot shot from 15 yards that crashed against the underside of the crossbar but the ball didn’t go far and was played back in to George Cousins who broke through the Lancing defence and struck a powerful right foot shot from the edge of the penalty area that again rattled the underside of the crossbar and the rebound came out quickly to Javlon Campbell who put his acrobatic effort over the bar.

Heath continued to pressure the Lancing goal and this time it was Campbell through on goal and he struck the ball well only to be denied by a brilliant save by Stuart deflecting the ball inches wide of the post.

The pressure was relentless and the second goal arrived on 63 minutes, a goal made by fullback Jamie Robinson who advanced down the left got round the fullback, took the ball to the goal-line and then picked out Fender on the edge of the 6 yard box who smashed it into the net.
The lead was reduced a couple of minutes later when a rare Lancing attack ended with Findlay bundling into a Lancing player to give away a soft penalty which Leon Dramis converted.

Heath continued to create chances and Fender was again denied by Stuart making a brilliant one handed save to push the Heath strikers shot wide of the post and in the closing minutes another top class save by the keeper to push a Fender shot over the crossbar.

Deep into injury time Lancing striker Lucas Tredrea almost made Heath pay for those missed chances when he hit a left foot shot inches wide of Chester’s right hand post, a goal which would have been extremely harsh on the Bears.

A well deserved win for Heath who move up to 12th and on Tuesday travel to play leaders Haywards Heath Town.

Team: M.Chester, Frankland (Elkana 80), Robinson, Findlay, Flack, Bold, Weller, Parsons, Fender, Cousins (Kutaa 66), Campbell