On Saturday the Bears welcomed Herne Bay to the BodyMould Community Stadium for another tough match in the Pitching In Isthmian League South East division. Manager Chris Simmons made five changes with Jack Frankland, Ryan Brackpool, Liam Matthews, Mason Doughty and Ashley Mutongerwa all coming into the starting lineup.

Heath made a good start with Sam Lemon having a shot blocked and Ashley Mutongerwa just falling to get on the end of a Jack Frankland through ball. On 11 minutes Heath were rewarded for their good start when Lemon received the ball deep in his own half, he played it forward to Mutongerwa on the halfway line and as Mutongerwa advanced down the left, Lemon sprinted forward to receive it back from his strike partner on the edge of the box, dribbled past a couple of defenders and coolly slotted over the advancing keeper who spread himself in attempt to block, a great finish from the Bears striker.

Heath continued to create chances winning a series of corners and free-kicks played into the opponent’s penalty area but the final ball was lacking. While the visitors had a fairly quiet half and failed to have a single shot on goal until deep into time added on. With supporters heading off for their half time beverage, Herne Bay’s Danny Walder received the ball in centre-midfield position some 35 yards from goal and he struck an absolute beauty with his right foot that flew into the top left corner of the net giving Liam Matthews no chance of stopping.

The second half continued in a similar fashion to the first with Heath creating more chances but unable to convert, 3 minutes into the restart a corner from the left was played to the far post to Mutongerwa who struck it first time with the in-step of his right foot but it sailed high and wide of target, 2 minutes later and another great chance for Mutongerwa when he chipped the ball over a defender, ran through only to be denied by the keeper doing the splits and saving with the toe of his right boot.

On 70 minutes another good Heath move down the left ended with Mason Doughty playing a low ball across the goal to Mario Quiassaca but he just failed to convert with his outstretched leg, when the slightest of touches would have been a goal. 2 minutes later another Heath corner this time the ball found Brackpool who glanced a header inches over the crossbar.

With 10 minutes remaining Mason Doughty rifled a left foot shot from 20 yards that was brilliantly saved by the Herne Bay keeper and you knew by then it just wasn’t going to be Heath’s day.

In the closing minutes a free kick for Herne Bay was played to Archie Burnett in acres of space some 30 yards from goal and he tried his luck with a long range shot which flew narrowly wide of Matthews goal and then deep into injury with Heath still pressing for the winner, a move broke down, a quick counter attack from the visitors saw the ball played up quickly to Gil Carvalho who struck a low right foot shot from the edge of the Heath penalty area which Matthews (a.ka.a Twizzle) saved brilliantly with his right foot to deny what would unquestionably have been the winning goal.

So it ended a goal a-piece another good performance from the Bears and surely it can’t be much longer before that elusive first home win.

Team: Matthews, Frankland, Chesworth, Penfold, Bromage, Brackpool, Parmiter (Weller 90), Evans, Mutongerwa (Quiassaca 69), Lemon (Campbell 81), Doughty.