Heath felt worthy of points as YMCA's bad end run... Loxwood beat Golds

YM have seen their promotion dream slip away in recent weeks having gone winless in their last six matches.

And Heath felt that they should have extended the poor record of their visitors in this twice rearranged local derby.

On the day, the home side looked much the better side in the first half, but somehow trailed 1-0 at the break with YM scoring from their one and only attempt on target.

Visiting goalkeeper, Aaron Jeal, a former Heath junior, was probably the busiest man on the field in the first half, without really stretching himself.

Devon Fender twice came close in the opening minutes, but on both occasions he shot straight at Jeal on the goal-line. On 30 minutes, Fender went through on goal but shot just wide of the right post.

Ten minutes before the break Heath were punished for those missed chances when Tony Garrod’s cross picked out Dave Brown, who sneaked in at the far post and headed home.

Heath almost pulled level immediately but were denied by Jeal diving low to deny Gicu Iordache and Jeal was there again in injury-time to block another Fender attempt.

Within a minute of the restart Dane Riecker, making only his second start in the first team, crossed into the penalty area. Jeal and Stuart Chester contested for the ball with Chester getting the slightest of touches to divert the ball into the net and level.

Minutes later, George Cousins’ shot was pushed out by Jeal. Midway through the half a dreadful pass across the face of his own goal by a YM defender allowed Fender to nip in, but once again Jeal was out quickly to block the shot.

On 75 minutes and against the run of play the visitors scored a second. Good work down the left flank ended with a pass inside to an unmarked Brown who drilled a low shot past Conor Evento.

In the closing minutes. Heath’s debutant under-18 striker Louis Blake got on the end of a low cross and blasted inches wide of the post.

Heath: Evento, D.Riecker, Robinson, Flack, Balfour, Parsons, S.Chester, Iordache (Blake 80), Cousins, Fender, Findlay.

YMCA: A.Jeal, Carden, Gilbert, Donaghey, Harding, C.Jeal, Gedling, Moore, Brown, Garrod, Johnson. Subs: Evans, Donaldson, Dugdale, Cave, Curtis.

n Michael Wood netted an 88th-minute winner to give Loxwood a 3-2 success over basement boys Littlehampton on Tuesday.

Trailing 1-0 at half-time, Dean Wright headed home to get The Magpies level. And while Reece Hallard then put them ahead, Golds restored parity with four minutes to play, ahead of Wood’s winner.