Heath’s first ever match against The Dockers from Erith Town who play their home games at The Stanmore Stadium former home of Thamesmead Town FC. The hosts won promotion last season via the play-offs having finished in fourth place in the Southern Counties East Premier division.

For the trip Heath manager Chris Simmons was forced to make five changes to his starting line-up which included a welcome return to goalkeeper Alfie Hadfield having missed the previous six weeks through injury, but it wasn’t the start Hadfield hoped for as he found himself picking the ball out the back of the net within minutes of the start.

The hosts had a great start when a foul was awarded wide on the left some three yards from the halfway line. The resulting free-kick was launched diagonally across to the right where Thomas Ash stuck out his right boot to steer the ball inside to Harry Taylor who turned sharply to hit a right foot shot from just inside the penalty area which Hadfield saved well low to his right but the ball went straight up in the air and onto the head of Ollie Milton who nodded it home from a yard.

Heath gradually got into the game and Charlie Parmiter tried his luck with a shot from distance when he cut inside from the left to hit a right foot shot wide of the post.

The Bears had a let-off on 17 minutes when a corner from the left was cleared to Jarome Jayaguru who struck a left foot shot from 22 yards that came off the left post and straight into the path of Milton who returned a right foot shot from 12 yards straight at Hadfield who cleared the danger.

Heath’s best chance of the half came on 31 minutes when Louis Evans linked up with Matt Hay to play in Stan Berry, making a welcome return the Bears from Lancing, but his left foot shot from 18 yards lacked power and was gathered comfortably by Nathan Edwards the Erith goalkeeper and 5 minutes later a Dowdell corner from the left was met by a powerful header from Heath skipper Kyle Sim but the ball flew high over the crossbar and the stand behind the goal.

Minutes into the restart a foul on Louis Evans some 25 yards from goal gave Callum Dowdell an opportunity to test the Erith goalkeeper from the free-kick but his right foot effort flew wide of target.

At the other end a Dockers corner from the right saw the ball ping around the Heath penalty area before coming out to Hayden Bullas who rifled in a right foot shot towards the goal which Sean Terry headed over the bar to safety.

On 55 minutes a Sim long throw from the left caused problem in the Erith defence with Louis Evans receiving the loose ball which he took to the goal-line and hammered a left foot shot goalwards which was blocked on the post by Edwards and deflected out for a corner.

Midway through the half Thomas Ash received the ball wide on the right on the halfway line and the Erith player ran at the Heath defence up to the penalty area before playing the ball out wide to team-mate Andrew Dythe who hit a fierce left foot shot straight at Hadfield.

After that chances were few and far between and it remained 1-0 to the hosts at the final whistle.

Next up for Broadbridge Heath is a trip to Burgess Hill Town for a Velocity Cup match on Tuesday 30th October. Kick Off 7.30.

Team: Hadfield, Sim (Pickering 86), Terry, Buchanan, Bromage, Marino, Dowdell (Lindsey 79), Parmiter (Doughty 63), Evans, Hay, Berry ( Croal 62).