For the 3rd season running Broadbridge Heath faced a midweek away cup match at Isthmian Premier division side Burgess Hill Town with the two previous matches both being won by the home side in penalty shoot-outs, could it be a case of 3rd time lucky for The Bears or another victory for ‘The Hillians’?

The hosts started well, had a lot of possession in the Heath half but failed to test ‘The Bears’ goal-keeper Stan Williamson making his senior debut for the club. Chris Simmons side weathered the storm and started to make some telling forward runs themselves with both Zac Young and Jake Lawrence going close with long range shots at goal.

On 20 minutes a Heath corner was intercepted by Hillians goalkeeper Alfie Mansell who immediately threw the ball out wide right to a team-mate who advanced down the flank before playing a diagonal pass to Tom Chalaye on the edge of the penalty area who quickly exchanged passes with Ryan Worrell before firing home a right foot shot from 12 yards past Williamson for the opening goal.

Heath responded well but were denied by a series of saves by Hillians goalkeeper Alfie Mansell, saving a powerful Young left foot shot from 20 yards and minutes later another Young effort was blocked on the goal-line. At the other end a corner came out to Worrell who hammered a right foot shot from distance that flew narrowly over the crossbar and it remained 1-0 at the break.

Broadbridge Heath were level within 6 minutes of the restart when Luke Bejashvili received the ball wide on the left of the Hillians penalty area and played a short pass inside to Young who skipped past two defenders before hitting a low left foot shot across the goal into the bottom right of the net.

The Bears took the lead on the hour mark with a flowing move from back to front involving six players before the ball was played out wide left to Young who picked out the run of Jake Lawrence with an inch perfect cross onto the strikers head to score from 6 yards.

Centre-half Sean Terry came close to making it 3-1 when he went on one of his runs deep into the opposition half and ended with a right foot shot from 18 yards that crashed against the foot of the post before being cleared to safety.

At the other end Chalaye got on the end a cross from the left and hit a low left foot shot from 12 yards that was saved brilliantly by Williamson diving to his right but it was ‘The Bears’ who extended their lead on 74 minutes when Sal Marino played the ball out wide right to Young on the edge of the 18 yard box, the Heath player went on to beat two players before firing a left foot shot past Mansell for his 8th goal of the season.

The hosts piled on the pressure in the closing stages and almost reduced the deficit when Worrall cut in from the left and fired a fierce shot that rattled the upright while at the other end another Terry run ended with a right foot shot narrowly wide of the post but the Heath defence stood firm and it’s Chris Simmons sides who go into the Sussex Transport Senior Cup 3rd Round draw.

Team: Williamson, Staight, Terry, Marino, Hyde (Lowery 87), Peters, Bejashvili, Connell, Lawrence, Young (Romain 80), Abudiore (Dowdell 68).