Heath manager Chris Simmons made five changes to the starting line-up for the visit of promotion hopefuls AFC Whyteleafe to the BodyMould Community Stadium and there was a familiar face on the subs bench too, that of Matt Hay back from long term injury.

Heath started really well with Luke Bejashvili firing a right foot shot from 18 yards narrowly over the crossbar in the opening minutes and Yuvi Mann having his left foot shot deflected for a corner off Whyteleafe goalkeeper Slav Huk.

Heath continued to press forward and Mann came close again with a free-kick that flew inches wide of the post but the pressure eventually paid off on 18 minutes when Brad Peters played a long ball forward to Mann on the edge of the penalty area, the Bromley loanee controlled the pass with his right foot to setup a strike with his left that flew under the outstretched arms of Huk into the bottom right corner for his debut goal for The Bears.

Heath continued to create the better openings with Mann again working Huk with a left foot shot from distance while at the other end a rare attack from the visitor’s saw Ryan Gondoh try his luck with a long range effort that dropped just over the Heath crossbar but it remained 1-0 at the break.

The visitor’s came out for the second half with all guns blazing, a high press from the start, forcing Heath to defend deep and it came as no surprise when The Leafe equalised on 55 minutes, although the goal itself was somewhat fortunate, Ryan Gondoh received the ball wide on the right close to the touch-line and he cut back and delivered a deep cross with his left foot into the Heath danger area which was missed by everyone and the ball dropped into the goal at the far post.

Just 2 minutes later the visitor’s took the lead when they won a corner on the right, a quickly taken short pass came out to Gondoh who unleashed a fierce left foot shot that was well saved by Heath goalkeeper Stan Williamson but the ball fell kindly into the path of Moses Emmanuel who reacted quickly to stab the ball home from close range.

Simmons reacted by bringing on three substitutes to steady the ship and it almost paid off when Doughty stepped up to take a free-kick from 25 yards that was saved brilliantly by Huk diving to his right to push the ball out for a corner but disaster struck for Heath on 77 minutes when a misplaced back-pass allowed Emmanuel to intercept the pass, beat a defender and goalkeeper to score from 8 yards to secure the points.

Heath did have chances to reduce the deficit, Charlie Connell shooting just wide of the post, Sal Marino’s effort saved comfortably by Huk and Brad Peters forcing Huk into another fine save in the dying minutes with a shot from distance but it was the visitor’s who continue their push for promotion and Heath can reflect on what can best be described as the proverbial ‘Game of Two Halves”.

Team: Williamson, Staight, Wooster, Napper (Marino 70), Richardson, Peters, Bejashvili, Romain (Hay 70), Pitcher (Doughty 70), Connell, Mann.