These two teams have dominated the Southern Combination U23 North Division championship since its inception at the start of the 2021/22 season with Broadbridge Heath winning the championship twice and Hassocks winning it twice; so Heath Manager Chris Ellis was expecting a tough match and that’s exactly how it turned out to be.

For the match Chris Ellis was able to recall several of Heath’s Under 18, three in the starting lineup and one on the bench, all of whom missed last weeks trip to Storrington due to their own cup match and it was one of them who put Heath in the lead on 5 minutes when Nathan Pickering won a header in the Hassocks penalty area picking out Max Plinston, 12 yard out with his back to goal and the young striker turned sharply to fire a left foot shot wide of the outstretched arms of Hassocks goalkeeper George Lythgoe for his first goal at Under 23 level.

Both sides struggled with the strong gale force winds that swept across the pitch with Heath having more possession in the final third but unable to add to their tally. Matt Hay came close twice for The Bears with long range shots, one deflected wide of the post and the other flying over the crossbar and Adam Al Meskin had his left foot shot saved comfortably on the line by Lythgoe. At the other end Heath goalkeeper Leo Anderson was forced into action making a routine save from Reece Nixon and it remained 0-1 at the break.

The second half produced few chances for either side with Hassocks Scott Faber using all his experience to marshal The Robins defence and Heath doing likewise with Sean Terry getting some match fitness at the heart of The Bears back four.

So lots of balls disappearing out of the ground carried by the strong winds but few clear cut chances in the second half for either side. The Bears Harry Kent did have a right foot free kick that went straight into the arms of Lythgoe while at the other end Joe Turner’s shot from distance flew over the Heath crossbar and Ben Lazenby’s snap shot from 16 yards also flew high high over Anderson’s crossbar.

In the closing stages Heath substitute Abou Absim-Jbrill’s header from close range looked to have doubled The Bears lead but somehow Lythgoe managed to get a hand on it to stop it crossing the line and then clearing the follow-up but despite the 12 minutes of time-added time, I think the Match Referee’s watch must have stopped, it remained 0-1 giving Heath the 3 points which has extended their lead at the top of the U23 Division North to 13 points but with seven league games remaining anything could happen.

Team: Anderson, York, Al-Meskin, Cooksley, Terry, Cumming, Plinston, Wraight, Kent, Pickering, Hay. Subs: Duneclift, Absim-Jbrill.