Broadbridge Heath U23 6-1 Horley Town U23

Heath Under 23’s finally got round to playing a league match on Thursday evening, the first since the 4-1 away win at St Francis Rangers back on the 23rd November, some 15 weeks previously and they didn’t take long to get back to scoring goals when a long Nathan Gorringe throw-in on 3 minutes was headed straight into the path of Szymon Kowalczyk who struck a left foot shot that went in at the foot of the post giving the Bears an early lead.

Heath made it 2-0 on 29 minutes when a central defender tried to play the ball out wide but Kowalczyk intercepted the pass, beat the defender and drilled a low right foot shot past the Horley Town keeper into the net.

Kowalczyk completed his hat-trick 4 minutes before the break when Harry Kent received the ball on the halfway line and played a defence splitting pass between two defenders allowing Wikto Maznica to run through on goal and as the keeper came out to narrow the angle the Heath striker poked the ball wide to Kowalczyk to drill the ball into the empty goal.

Minutes later it was 4-0 when the Horley Town keeper’s drop-kick went straight to Kent who played it forward to Maznica who lobbed it first time over the stoppers head for his eight goal of the season.

Deep into time added-on Kowalczyk’s run into the penalty area was brought to a sudden halt by a trip from behind and Tyler Symonds stepped up to convert the penalty kick, 5-0 to the Bears at the break.

On 67 minutes the visitors reduced the deficit when Josh Buttle was judged to have brought down a Horley Town player in the penalty area and although Monty Watson-Price made a good save from the spot kick the loose ball went straight to a Horley player who drilled it into the back of the net.

Into the closing stages and the third penalty of the match was awarded when Symonds was fouled in the box and the Heath striker got up to coolly convert the spot kick into the bottom left corner to wrap up a welcome return to league football for the Bears Under 23s.

Team: Watson-Price, Mark, Gorringe, Wraight, Pickering, Schulz, Kowalczyk, Maznica, Kent, Symonds. Subs. Duneclift, Buttle, Sutton, Burrell, Moteane.