Broadbridge Heath ride their luck to overcome Peacehaven

Manager Chris Simmons was without several first team regulars including the injured Louis Blake, Craig Goodsir, Cameron Watts and Zac Young.

This gave 16-year-old Charlie Gibson an opportunity to make the starting lineup for the first time. And the youngster certainly grasped the opportunity by scoring the opening goal with a right foot shot from the edge of the penalty area after seven minutes.

Heath continued to have the better openings in the early stages but were unable to add to their lead. Gradually the visitors clawed their way back into the game and equalised just minutes before the break.

A corner from the right was punched clear by Liam Matthews but only as far as Jack Webber who returned it into the danger area where Curtis Ford pounced, turned and scored from close range to make it 1-1 at the break.

Heath probably edged the first half play but the visitors dominated the second half. How they didn’t score is a mystery. Peacehaven twice hit the crossbar and post, and forced a couple of top quality saves from Matthews.

But goals change games. On 67 minutes, a rare Heath attack ended with the Peacehaven keeper parrying the ball from a Gibson strike for the left, only for Sam Jobbins to tap in the rebound from a yard out.

Heath did have chances to add a third. Substitute Harry Mark, making his first team debut, was particularly unlucky. A fierce right foot shot from distance was well kept out by the Peacehaven keeper.

Bear boss Simmons said: "Apart from the Littlehampton game, this was by far our worst performance of the season, and whereas we haven’t had any luck in games so far, we had plenty today, but that’s football.

"The lads worked really hard to keep themselves in the game. This is the sort of game we would have lost last season.

"Charlie has been desperate to get a start and it was great to see such a mature man of the match performance from the 16-year-old.

"Next up is a trip to East Preston on Tuesday before we return to The Countryside Stadium for a match against Steyning Town on Saturday."