Despite only being 14 miles apart this match at the Air Engineering Stadium was only the second ever League meeting between the sides, the last one being in January 2020 before COVID brought the season to an early conclusion.

The visitors playing their third league match of the season are still seeking their first point and it didn't get any easier for them with Matt Hay putting The Bears ahead on 3 minutes when he received the ball wide on the right, shrugged off a defenders challenge with his shoulder, cut inside the penalty area and finished with a low left foot shot from 16 yards past Horley Town goalkeeper Sam Saward.

The visitors belied their lowly position and went on to create the better goal scoring opportunities, Coby Acquaye blasted the ball high over the Heath crossbar from the angle but only 6 yards from goal, Henry Swann struck a right foot shot from the edge of the penalty area that was blocked by a Heath defender and Isaac Olaniyan tried his luck with a left foot shot from distance which went harmlessly through to The Bears goalkeeper Alfie Hadfield.

Despite those chances though it was Chris Simmons Broadbridge Heath side who came close to doubling their lead midway through the half when Luke Bejashvili advanced down the left flank played the ball into the 18 yard box for Mason Doughty to run on to and strike a goal-bound shot first time with his left foot which was well saved by Saward.

Heath doubled their lead a minute before the break with the old root one football, Hadfield received the ball from his fullback just outside his own 6 yard box and played a long ball straight down the middle of the park, Doughty and Horley’s Adam Allen were in hot pursuit with the Horley Town skipper attempting to head the ball back to his goalkeeper but Doughty nipped in between them took the ball wide of Saward and finished with a left foot shot to give his team a somewhat fortunate 2-0 half-time lead.

It was not a good afternoon for the Horley skipper with just 4 minutes of the half played he played a pass from the left back position across the back line to his team-mate Ashley Sheppard but again Doughty was on it in a flash to intercept the pass advance on goal, take it around Saward and score from close range.

Heath went on to see the second half out comfortably without being at their best. The visitor’s pulled a goal back on 87 minutes when Olaniyan crossed the ball from the left wing towards the far post where it was met by former Heath player Ben Dyson arriving late to bundle it across the line.

There was still time for Heath to add a fourth when Jack Church was bundled over in the penalty area and Pemi Yakubu stepped up to convert from the spot kick for his first goal for his new club.

Team: Hadfield, Cotton, Royall, Connell, Peters, Salaam (Terry 67), Bejashvili (Collyer 64), Evans, Doughty (Church 77), Hay 9 (Thiselton 58), Yakubu.