Since the inception of the SCFL Under 23 North division some 5 years ago, Broadbridge Heath and Hassocks have shared the division title between them with Broadbridge Heath winning the title on three occasions and Hassocks winning it twice so it was clear this early season trip to the Beacon was going to be a tough match for the Bears.

Broadbridge Heath had the first attempt on goal after 7 minutes when Josh Hayes played the ball between two defenders down the left channel allowing Nathan Kennedy-Tamplin to run through and strike a left foot shot across the goalmouth and just wide of the far post.

Kennedy-Tamplin was in action again on 15 minutes with a left foot shot that was blocked by a defender, the ball came back out to Nat Guest who hammered a right foot shot from 16 yards that again came off a defender and out for a corner.

The deadlock was broken on 32 minutes when Owen Davies intercepted a pass on the half-way line and wide on the right, the defender carried the ball forward before playing a through ball to Kennedy-Tamplin who drilled a low left foot shot from the edge of the penalty area under the advancing Hassocks goalkeeper Frankie Cole.

Heath doubled their lead 3 minutes before the break when Harry Kent chased down a long ball down the left wing gathering it wide of the penalty area and he played a pass, hard and low across the face of goal and into the path of Owen Davies arriving late at the far post who struck it first time across the goal into the net and it remained 0-2 at the break.

Heath added a third on 72 minutes when Nathan Pickering received the ball in the centre-circle and played a long ball down the right flank allowing Keanin Louw to run through to the goal-line where he picked out strike partner Kennedy Tamplin who bundled the ball across the goal-line for his second of the match but which also brought his evening to a premature end, falling awkwardly while scoring and having to leave the field of play.

The match was now wide open, end to end football with both sides looking to score but it was the Bears who added a fourth on 82 minutes when Louw picked up the ball in his own half and just ran with pace at the Hassocks defence into the penalty area where he poked the ball past Cole with his right foot for his first of the season.

The hosts scored a late consolation goal minutes later when Harley Bonwick won the ball on the halfway line and played a forward pass to Flynn Connolly who ran towards the Heath goal, Williamson was out like a shot and saved the first attempt with an outstretched leg but the ball came back to Connolly who followed it into the empty net.

Final score 4-1 win to the Bears which see them move up to 2nd place in the division.

The Under 23’s are next in league action on Thursday 3rd September when they travel to Loxwood to play Horsham Crusaders, Kick Off at 7.45.

Team: Williamson, Cooksley, Hayes, Bedir, Hillier, Pickering, Davies, Guest, Kennedy-Tamplin, Kent, Collyer. Subs: Norris, Cina, Louw, Wraight, Aylett.