Broadbridge Heath travelled to Merstham hoping to continue their good run of form which has seen them move within striking distance of the play-off places but it was never going to be easy for Chris Simmons side with no fewer than seven first team regulars missing through suspension or injury.

Heath started well but gradually the home side grew into the game and they went on to create some really good chances; the first on 14 minutes when a corner from the right was played towards the near post to Merstham skipper Matt Drage who powered a header goal-wards which was saved by Heath goalkeeper Alfie Hadfield.

Minutes later the hosts attacked down the right flank, the ball was played low across the face of goal to Merstham’s No. 9 Korrey Henry who somehow hit the ball onto the crossbar and over from 4 yards.

Henry was in action again on 20 minutes when he broke away from his markers to run towards the Heath goal where he unleashed a fierce left foot shot from 20 yards forcing Hadfield into another good save.

The home-side continued to dominate long periods of play with Henry at the heart of things and on 25 minutes another low cross was played into the penalty area from the right and Henry was on the end of it once more but again the ball flew over the crossbar.

Despite those missed chances it was Simmons side who came closest to breaking the deadlock minutes before the break when Jake Lawrence ran at the Merstham defence, the ball fell kindly into the path of Mason Doughty who struck a first time left foot shot from 18 yards that Merstham goalkeeper Rob Tolfrey saved brilliantly at full stretch to push the ball onto the crossbar and out for a corner and it remained 0-0 at the break.

The hosts finally broke the deadlock on 56 minutes when Lee Lewis took a right footed in-swinging corner from the left that went high into the night sky and came down and straight into the net at the far post, anything Newcastle United’s Bruno Guiamaraes can do so can Merstham’s Lee Lewis.

The home-side made it 2-0 midway through the second half when Henry finally got his shot away from close range to beat Hadfield and Olu Lawal came close to adding a third with a right foot shot that struck the foot of the post before being cleared.

At the other end Zac Young came close heading a Charlie Gibson free kick just wide of the post and in the closing stages The Bears reduced the deficit when Lawrence picked out Doughty in space inside the penalty area and the Heath striker took a touch before hammering a right foot shot past Tolfrey for his first goal since his return to the club.

Team: Hadfield, Wooster, Gibson, Marino, Peters, Richardson, Dowdell (Bejashvili 74), Connor (Romains 70), Lawrence, Young, Doughty.