Depleted Heath Suffer Awayday Blues

Heath were hit by last minute drop outs and injuries which left them with only two fit players on the bench. Austin Okolo made a hasty trip down from London and 17 year old Michael Bold joined him in coming on to make their first team league debuts. Heath were without Marlon Maxwell, Scott Weller, Martyn Flack, Renato Carvalho through injury and lost Max Howell to a pre match fitness test. Cameron Maxwell who had played 90 minutes the night before for the under 23s came in for Howell.
The game could have taken a very different turn when after one minute Andy Waddingham robbed a Newhaven defender and was clean in on goal. As Buss in the home goal narrowed the angle, Jamie Taylor was unmarked in front of an empty goal. Unfortunately, Waddingham opted to shoot and Buss saved with his foot.
The rest of the half was very stop start with any flowing football hindered by the hard and bumpy pitch which like many was in need of some rain. Newhaven gradually took the ascendency and Alfie Hadfield in the Heath goal had to make a couple of excellent saves to keep Heath on terms. However, when Heath were slow to close down a second ball and play was switched to the Newhaven left flank Jones couldn’t stop the cross and the header from an un marked home player was tipped onto the bar by Hadfield only to rebound into the net off Josh Tuck.
Heath came out determined to take something from the game but in truth never got going and as frustration set in Heath lost their shape and Hadfield was again called into action. But he had no chance when the Bear’s midfield and defence seem to part like the Red Sea and Franzen Jones was allowed to smash the ball home to give Newhaven a deserved 2-0 lead.
Okolo and Bold came on and nearly had the desired impact as Heath at last started to push the home side back. Bold put in Jamie Taylor but the experienced marksman could only hit the side netting and Okolo had a thundering header cleared of the line. In truth Heath did not do enough over the 90 minutes to take anything from the game and afterwards, more players than I can ever remember put their hand up to sub- standard performances with perhaps only Hadfield coming out with credit in only his second appearance.
Heath have no midweek match and will be anxious to get back on the training ground and get this performance out of their system. Next up is the visit of Eastbourne United to the Countryside Stadium on Saturday.

Heath: Hadfield, Jones, Robinson, Carney, Tuck, Waddingham, Howard-Bold, Godfrey, Cousins, Taylor(Okolo), Watts(Bold).