Fast Start puts Heath into Vase First Round Proper
The Heath welcomed Selsey to Hanbury looking to progress to the first round of the FA Vase, having dispatched Wick 4-0 in the previous round.
The Blues entered the game as big favourites against a side from the division below, but it took just 29 seconds for Cameron Dobell to run at his defender, drilling in a low cross with Michael Uwezu perfectly placed to score his sixth goal of the season with a tap in from inside the six yard box.
Just minutes later with the Bluebells keeping position well, Dobell was in again on the right hand side with Dobell speeding past his man, and this time his lifted cross was headed in at the near post by Byron Napper.
There were very few chances for the rest of the opening half hour, but Haywards Heath continued to find themselves well on top. In the 32nd minute, it felt like every outfield touched the ball in a wonderful passing month before Riddington’s clipped cross was headed over the bar by Uwezu.
The away side created their first chance in the 37th minute with Goldsmith caught on the ball and the Selsey 9 skipped past Blencowe and forced a save from the outstretched left boot of alfie jones who did really well to spread himself at close range. A warning sign for the heath that the game wasn’t over just yet.
In the 43rd minute the game was ended as a contest after another superb passing move, with Captain Napper spotting the Riddington inside run, and the full back slid the ball to goldsmith who tapped the ball inside to uwezu, and his smart finish found the bottom corner again from inside the 6 yard box.
Moments later Uwezu nearly had his hat trick, beating a man 25 yards out but his curling shot was central and tipped over by the goalkeeper.
Half time came and went, with the second half starting much the same as the first with Uwezu having plenty of time in the box, squaring to the right to Goldsmith whoms low driven effort from the right edge of the 6 yard box found the bottom corner in the 50th minute.
In the 51st minute the largely untested Jones came for a high ball and was adjudged to have handled outside his area, earning the heath custodian a yellow card and the resulting free kick was just wide. Minutes later Heath were in again with a ball played inside by Wadhams to Goldsmith, moved onto the right again for Dobell who this time found the side netting.
A number of changes came next with Britton replacing Goldsmith, Pitcher replacing Uwezu, and most notably Gilbert replacing Blencowe getting his first competitive minutes of the season.
Britton immediately was into the action spreading the play to cadman who was playing in an advanced position on the left. Cadman shifted the ball left and from an acute angle the fierce drive across goal could only be parried in by the goalkeeper in the 71st minute.
Selsey were really tiring up against Heath’s dominant possession football as the Blues continued to move the ball around at will. However there were no more goals, and the Heath were comfortably into the hat for the next round of the cup, to be drawn on Monday 25th.
