Broadbridge Heath 1-1 Horndean

Honours were even in the Isthmian League South East division when Broadbridge Heath met Horndean at the BodyMould Stadium.

The visitors had the first goal attempt on 10 minutes when Zac Willett powered a right foot free kick from 25 yards that crashed against the foot of the post.

At the other end the Bears found Horndeans goalkeeper Cameron Scott in fine form first deflecting a Mason Doughty's shot wide with his legs and minutes later making another save from Doughty low to his left but his best save of the match came midway through the half when he somehow managed to push a fierce right foot shot from Sam Lemon up, onto the crossbar and over the bar to safety.

Heath continued to create the majority of chances but that final finish was lacking and the teams remained locked at 0-0 at the break.

The visitors started the second half well but it was Heath who took the lead on 62 minutes when Callum Dowdell linked up well with Doughty down the right, the ball was played inside to Dowdell on the edge of the penalty area, he turned the defender one way then the other before drilling a low right foot shot into the bottom left corner, his first goal for the Bears since joining the club from Lancing.

Far from being down the visitors responded well with Heath goalkeeper George Evans making a fine diving save and catch to deny the impressive Willett and in the 76th minute a left wing Willett cross came off the top of the crossbar and over for a Heath goal kick.

With pressure mounting it looked as though Heath were going to hang on to the win but in the 5th minute of extra time Horndean netted the equaliser, the ball was played out wide left to Ethan Robb who drifted past a Heath defender, just inside the penalty area, before cutting the ball back from the goal-line to Tommy Scutt on the penalty spot but his first time effort was sailing wide of target but fell kindly into the path of Liam Callahan running in at the far post and he slotted home from close range to earn his team a well deserved point.

After the match Heath manager Chris Simmons said “It was a frustrating afternoon, we didn’t play well and still missed enough chances to win the game in the first half, the second half was poor from us and probably a draw was a fair result”. He added “I can’t fault the lads, since January they have given everything”.

Team: G. Evans, Sim, Chesworth, Penfold, Bromage, Brackpool, Lemon (Croal 79), Buchanan (Waddingham 72), Parmiter (Dowdell 59), L. Evans, Doughty.