Broadbridge Heath started the New Year with a difficult away trip to division leaders Three Bridges who are on a run of five straight wins, scoring 23 goals in the process and opening up a lead of 6 points at the top of the table although Heath did win the reverse league fixture by 2-1 earlier in the season.

The hosts started well, had most of the play and possession but rarely troubled Heath goalkeeper Alfie Hadfield. In fact it was The Bears who had the first shot on target on 30 minutes when Charlie Gibson fired in a free-kick with a left foot shot that was heading into the top right corner until Bridges goalkeeper Sam Roberts showed his class with a full length diving save to his left to turn the ball over the crossbar.

The deadlock was broken 6 minutes later when Hayden Velvick played a through ball into the penalty area towards Charlie Bennett who was challenged by Louis Hyde, both players went to the ground but the Match Referee immediately pointed to the spot, Bennett picked himself up and converted the spot kick with a right foot shot straight down the middle.

Heath were still getting over what would best be described as a soft-penalty when 5 minutes later, a second penalty was awarded to the home side when Bridges Reece Hallard and Emmanuel Abudiore challenged for the ball with the former falling just inside the penalty area and to the amazement of the Heath contingent the match referee again pointed to the spot which Bennett converted with a low right foot shot to the left of Hadfield to make it 2-0 at the break.

Broadbridge Heath started the second half with more purpose but without really troubling the Bridges defence and it was game over on 64 minutes with the goal coming from a quick counter-attack from a Heath corner which was cleared to Bennett wide on the right and with Gibson coming across towards him it allowed Bennett to play the ball though to an unmarked Ade Adeyinka to run through and fire a low right foot shot past Hadfield.

With the three goal lead the league leaders were now dominating play and added a fourth on 79 minutes when a Heath throw-in from their left flank and deep in their own half was intercepted by Adeyinka who headed it inside towards Hallard who skipped past a couple of Heath challenges, took it wide of Hadfield and slotted from the angle to net his 21st goal of the season and complete a comfortable victory for the hosts who extend their lead at the top of the division to 8 points.

Next up for The Bears is a home league match on Saturday 10th January at 3.00pm when they play host to Deal Town before their Sussex Transport Senior Cup match against Enterprise National League South division leaders Worthing on Tuesday 13th December, Kick Off at 7.45.

Team: Hadfield, Staight, Gibson, Connell, Hyde, Peters, Doughty, Romain (Marino 58), Young (Bejashvili 78), Evans (Rawlins 44), Abudiore.