Back to Back Wins For The Heath

The Heath made it back to back wins, and clean sheets, by following up on last weeks win over Longwell Green in the FA Vase by travelling to Odd Down in the Toolstation Western League Premier and deservedly leaving with the 3 points. The Heath put in an excellent shift, working hard for each other in a display full of creativity and pace with the backline looking solid throughout the game.
On 3 mins the Heath got in behind the Odd Down defence when Enis Akgun broke the offside trap and squared to Josh Williams who's shot took a deflection and was saved by the keeper.
8 mins and an excellent cross field pass by Eli Nichols found Josh Williams on the right wing who interchanged well with Simon McElroy but his cross just evaded Matt Huxley in the penalty area.
12 mins in and the Heath continued to dominate proceedings, using pace to constantly trouble the Odd Down defence - Simon McElroy slipped a superb through ball to Enis Akgun but his shot was parried well by the Odd Down keeper.
18 mins a great interplay by Josh Williams and Enis Akgun ends up with Josh Williams firing over the bar.
20 mins and more great play by Simon McElroy finds Enis Akgun who in turn finds Josh Williams who puts in a great cross to the far post finds Eli Nichols but the ball is just cleared by an Odd Down defender.
25 mins in and excellent intricate play between Enis Akgun and Josh Williams sees the ball just cleared by an Odd Down defender as Enis is about to hit the trigger.
On 26 mins a great through ball finds Josh Williams on the left wing who cuts back inside and his right-foot effort is blocked but the ball finds Eli Nichols who's deflected effort goes wide for a corner.
27 mins and Josh Williams effort is parried by the Odd Down keeper who was having a good game. The Heath were looking really dangerous and needed to capitalise on the possession and chances they were creating.
36 mins and Dan Winstone wins a 50/50 ball on the halfway line and feeds Enis Akgun who finds Matt Huxley in the penalty area who coolly slots home but is just flagged offside - close for the Heath!
45 mins and Matt Huxley wins the ball well just outside the penalty area and his left foot effort fires just wide of the upright.
Halftime and its 0-0, Heath dominating but failing to grab that all important goal.
47 mins and the breakthrough comes when a great run by Eli Nichols sees his cross deflected past his own goalkeeper by an Odd Down defender, 0-1 to the Heath!
64 mins sees the first substitutions for the Heath with Matt Huxley and Josh Williams replaced by Reece Rogers and Marcus Kelly as the Heath look to introduce even more pace into the attack to trouble the Odd Down back line.
70 mins and neat play by Marcus Kelly and Reece Rogers finds Eli Nichols on the edge of the box but he shoots over the bar - the pace in the Heath attack is now cutting apart the Odd Down midfield and defence.
75 mins and a long free kick by Nathan Hewitt on the halfway line finds Marcus Kelly on the left hand side of the Odd Down penalty area, Marcus does superbly to hold off two Odd Down defenders and gets a cross into the six yard box which is just cleared by a defender ahead of the lurking Eli Nichols.
77 mins and the Heath make their final change with Enis Akgun making way for Lewis Hedges.
83 mins and the first real chance for Odd Down when a corner finds an Odd Down midfielder with a free header but it goes wide.
87 mins and a great break from the Heath on the right finds Eli Nichols who sends in a pinpoint cross to the far edge of the 6-yard box to meet a fantastic diving header by Simon McElroy which is parried by the keeper, Reece Rogers scuffs the follow up and a header by Marcus Kelly is just cleared off the line by an Odd Down defender - so, so close for the Heath to bury this game!
90 mins and great play by Simon McElroy as he picks up the ball on the right and dribbles across the edge of the penalty area and slips in Lewis Hedges but the keeper saves well.
92 mins and the Heath are still on the hunt for a second goal to kill off the game and superb play by Marcus Kelly as he picks up the ball on the edge of the Odd Down penalty area and holds off 3 challenges by Odd Down players as he twists and turns in the box but sees his shot deflected for a corner, which is then cleared by safety.
The ref blew the full time whistle and we picked up an excellent and thoroughly deserved 3 points. All the lads put in a massive shift, working so hard for each other, the backline were solid and secured a 2nd successive clean sheet and the strength and creativity in midfield and intricate interplay with the strikers at pace made for a really entertaining performance. Well done lads!!!!
Up next for the Heath is a home match next Saturday (14th Sept) at Springfield against Exmouth Town in the 2nd Qualifying Round in the FA Vase, 3pm kick off. Come along and support the lads as we look to make it 3 wins on the spin!
UP THE HEATH!