Broadbridge Heath U23 1-1 East Grinstead U23

Disappointment for the young Bears Under 23 side as they went down 5-4 in a penalty shoot-out in the Sussex U23 Challenge Cup quarter-final stage after the scores were level at 1-1 on 90 minutes.

The visitor’s, who play in the Suburban League, Central Division, are now managed by former Heath U23 Joint Managers Howard Wrate and Steve Coveney and they’ve had some good results in previous rounds of this competition with a 1-0 win over County League opposition Monpelier Villa and a 7-0 win over Chichester City, so the Heath management of Chris Ellis and Alex Bethell were expecting a tough encounter.

For the Bears it was their first match since the 23rd November and they did look a little rusty at times. While the visitors started well but failed to trouble Heath keeper Monty Watson-Price.

The opening goal was scored on 15 minutes, the first attempt on goal by either side, when the ball was played into the penalty area from the right and Eric Schulz steered it past the Grinstead keeper at the near post, his first goal on his debut for the club.

Minutes later a fierce right foot shot from distance by skipper Nathan Pickering saw the ball fly inches over the crossbar, while at the other end Watson-Price was alert to save a deflected shot low to his left and it remained advantage Heath at the break.

The second half continued in a similar fashion between two evenly matched teams with the equalising goal coming midway through the half when the Heath defence failed to clear a long throw-in from the right and the ball fell kindly to a Grinstead player whose goal attempt flew up in the air and dropped over Watson-Price into the net, a somewhat fortunate goal but they all count and the teams were level.

Both sides had chances to add to their score but the game ended in stalemate and went straight into a penalty shootout with the visitors winning by 5-4.

Team: Watson-Price, Mark, A.Al Msesken, Wraight, Gil, Schulz, Richards, Pickering, Maznica, Barlow, Buchanan. Subs. Edwards, Duneclift, I.Al Meskin, Sutton, Moteane