Heath and United Share the Points
Despite the pre-match doubts that Heath’s league match would go ahead, the Hanbury pitch was given the green light meaning the Blues had a shot at revenge for their previous 1-1 draw at the Oval Ground on the opening day of the new season.
A new face featured on the bench, highly rated striker Ben Connolly joined from Crawley Down Gatwick, a player who is already familiar with Naim Rouane’s system having played for him during his Lancing spell. Liam Hendy and Hayden Skerry were also back in the side. Eastbourne had the first chance in the match, Alfie Jones’ save enough to deny the first effort, and the follow-up shot put wide of the goal.
Heath’s first major chance of the match came not long after, Geard’s through ball leaving the defender stranded and putting Hayden Skerry one-on-one with the Goalkeeper, his chipped effort beating Broadbent but landing on the roof of the net. 20 minutes in Eastbourne United were awarded a free-kick in a dangerous area, and it couldn’t have been hit any sweeter, beating the wall and destined for the top corner but denied by Alfie Jones in the most spectacular fashion, clawing it onto the post and then cleared by the Heath defender to keep the scores level.
Charlie Pitcher had the ball in the back of the net, United failed to clear their lines from a corner and the ball landed to the Blues number 9 who scrambled it over the line, but the linesman’s flag was straight up to rule it out for offside which meant it was goalless at the break.
Connolly replaced Pitcher for his Heath debut in the 58th minute, and two minutes later some Hayden Skerry magic put the Heath ahead, out on the right-hand side, cutting in on his left and unleashing a rocket shot which was only going one place – the back of the net!
Eastbourne fought back, and despite more brilliant saves from Alfie Jones, they found a leveller in the 83rd minute. The sides had to settle for a draw come the full-time whistle, a game which had it all, goals, some superb saves and plenty of entertainment, and it’s the same again on Tuesday night when Eastbourne United make their second visit to Hanbury Park in the Quarter Final of the RUR Cup.
