South Park 3-0 Broadbridge Heath

For our 3rd pre-season friendly on the 8th July the team travelled to Isthmian League Central Division side South Park FC.

This was my first ever visit to King George’s Field, home of South Park FC located in a picturesque countryside setting on the edge of the town. Heath did play a pre-season here a couple of years back but since then they have replaced their bumpy old grass surface for a brand new 3G pitch.

The first half was pretty even affair, Heath started well but it was the home side who took an early lead with their first attack of the match when a ball was played in from the right , came off a Heath defender and fell kindly to the South Park No. 7 who rammed it home from 12 yards. Heath fought back and had several chances to equalise but failed to beat the hosts keeper.

The game changed a minute before the break, the ball was played out wide to the South Park No. 10 who skipped past Charlie Parmiter’s challenge, Lewis Scalley came across to close the player down but badly mistimed his tackle bringing the player down wide of the Heath penalty area, a clear foul and probably worthy of a yellow card but I don’t think many expected the Referee to produce a Red, especially in a pre-season friendly, and Heath were down to ten.

During the break the Heath management did try to get the Referee to agree to allowing the game to continue with 11-a-side but he was having none of it and the Bears were forced to play with a man down throughout the second period.

Despite the disadvantage Heath created several chances early on with the home keeper the busier of the two stoppers until the hosts doubled their lead on 65 minutes with a shot from the edge of the penalty area nestling into the bottom right corner of Alfie Hadfield’s goal.

South Park completed the scoring on 72 minutes when a move down the right ended with the ball being played low into the Heath penalty area where it deflected off Dan Webster for an own goal.

So our first defeat of the season but being reduced to 10 men for the whole of the second half did make a big difference, I’ve seen plenty of times when, during a friendly, the referee has asked a manager to replace a player or he would be sent off but I think that’s the first time I’ve ever witnessed a player being sent off in a friendly.

Next up a trip to Hassocks on Saturday 15th July, Kick Off 3.00.