Broadbridge Heath get back to winning ways but injury mars Peacehaven victory

He collapsed in agony after landing awkwardly on his ankle after competing for a header In the second half and there was a lengthy stoppage as Heath’s skipper was first carried off the pitch and then taken to hospital.

The hosts were leading 2-0 at the time and while their visitors soon pulled one back, the Bears made the points safe late on to continue their push for top-six finish in the Premier Division.

Kieron Thorp returned in goal and George Cousins was back alongside Jamie Taylor and Devon Fender. Tim Cook was carrying a knock and only for enough for the bench where he was joined by Louie Blake and new signing Carlos Jorge.

Ollie Moore made a welcome return from suspension which due to the vagaries of the fixtures and the weather had seemed to go on forever.

Heath started well despite staring into the unusually bright February sun and the pace and movement of Cousins, Taylor and Fender kept the visitors on the back foot in the early stages.

This resulted in the opening goal when Taylor’s movement made space for Cousins to get on the end of Moore’s inch-perfect pass and slip the ball past Lawrence Sanded in the visitor’s goal. Shortly afterwards Cousins again found himself facing the keeper one on one but this time the keeper won out as the Heath marksman tried to round him.

Peacehaven nearly made their pressure count when Thorp managed to save a viciously dipping free kick and then recovered in time to bock the follow up.

Heath again started the second half on top and although only playing their football in snatches, extended their lead when Martyn Flack played the ball through for Taylor and although the Peacehaven keeper appeared marginal favourite to get to the ball first, Heath’s experienced striker held off a defender and squeezed the ball goalwards, before coolly finishing into the empty net.

After Howard Bold’s lengthy injury stoppage, Heath became disjointed and had to survive a spell of Peacehaven pressure particularly after Callum Hart’s long shot had crept inside the post to halve the deficit.

Heath dug in and with Tim Cook and Louie Blake providing fresh legs on the flanks started to get behind the visitor’s defence.

Then with only a couple of the extended stoppage time left Blake got away down the left and squared to ball to Fender who found Moore on the edge of the box and he smashed the ball into the bottom corner to seal an important victory.

Heath: Thorp, Flack, Robinson, Waddingham, Brackpool, Howard Bold (Blake), Carney, Moore, Fender, Taylor, Cousins (Cook). Unused: Jorge.