Heath manager Chris Simmons made six changes to the starting line-up for his team’s trip to Hassocks in the First Round of the Velocity Cup (Isthmian League Cup). While the Robins, following promotion last season, were playing in the competition for the first time in their clubs history.

The game started on a pretty even basis with the first real attempt at goal coming on 14 minutes when Zac Young played the ball down the right flank between two Hassocks defenders allowing Francis Junior Zee to fire a right foot shot from the edge of the box just over the crossbar.

The host’s first chance of the game came minutes later when a Joe Bull short corner from the right was played to Lewis Finney who delivered it first-time into the 6 yard box to Matt Gunn who stuck out a leg but his goal-bound effort was brilliantly saved by Heath goalkeeper Alfie Hadfield pushing the ball over the crossbar.

Finney took the resulting corner from the left playing the ball into the near post where Harry Funnell’s glancing header was going into the net before Hadfield’s stretched left arm came out to deflect the ball wide and off a Hassocks player for a goal-kick.

With the heavens opening up, gale force winds and the rain pouring down The Bears began to get on top of the game keeping Hassocks goalkeeper Fraser Trigwell busy, the former Heath stopper denying Junior Ze’s back heel and then comfortably saving from Elliott Romain’s header.

The opening goal came on 38 minutes from the right flank with Junior Ze this time playing the ball into Young who cut inside and rifled a left foot shot from 20 yards that flew past Trigwell into the top left corner.

Things got even better for Heath with their next attack 2 minutes later when Ta’shee Andall-Gibbons received the ball in the centre of the park and played a diagonal pass down the left flank allowing Luke Bejashvili space to run into and the Heath midfield player cut inside and stuck a right foot shot along the ground and wide of Trigwell to make it 0-2 at the break.

The Robins introduced Charlie Pitcher off the bench on 68 minutes and the much travelled striker was quickly in the action firing a fierce right foot shot from distance which Hadfield cleared away with his legs.

Heath added a third on 77 minutes when Young won the ball off a defender on the edge of the penalty area and fired a left foot shot wide of Trigwell for his fourth of the season.

The Robins pulled a goal back on 86 minutes when Furnell’s cross from the right was headed goalwards by Pitcher straight to Hadfield on the line but the wet ball slipped from the keepers grasp and dropped into the net giving the home-side a lifeline.

Two minutes into time added on and The Robins scored a second, Trigwell played the ball out wide left to his fullback who wellied the ball forward, the ball caught in the wind and went long and high dropping perfectly into the path of Pitcher to run on to and hammer a right foot shot past Hadfield to bring the game to a finale.

After the game Simmons said "We were excellent for 80 minutes, moved the ball around well, created and took our chances but switched off at the end and you can’t do that against good sides! Another Win keeps us moving in the right direction. Thanks to everyone that came to support in the horrendous weather."

Team: Hadfield, Frankland, Staight (Terry 82), Marino, Lowery, Peters, Bejashvili (Dowdell 73), Andall-Gibbons (Connell 60), Junior Ze, Romain (Hay 70), Young (Adam 78).