Haywards Heath Town

After a tough game against Saltdean United it was a first ever trip in the SCFL Premier Division to the home of Haywards Heath Town for what was expected to be another tough fixture.

The first shot of the game came from Jay Simpson going clear in the first minute and drawing a regulation save from their keeper as he couldn’t get enough power in the shot. It was a well contested opening to the match with The Lingers having some joy down the right with Toby Hill getting a cross into the box on 12mins, and shortly after Toby Allen made a surging run to the bye line but his cross was cleared. It was a former Linger Cameron Dobell who came closest so far with a header that hit the foot of our left post. On 17mins Haywards Heath played a ball forward from their half to a player in an offside position but neither the linesman or referee saw it and after moving the ball on the right edge of our box it was 1-0 to the home team.

The lads put it behind them and pushed forward and on 24mins after a good move down the left and across the front of their box, a pass out to Allen sprinting down the right just eluded him. Hill played a good ball into the box for Dennis Asante but he couldn’t get anything on it. A minute later Haydn Dickinson had a snap shot from the edge of the D but it was wide of their righthand post. However, Haywards Heath played through the middle, passed out to the right and with a shot from inside the box made it 2-0 on 27mins. Hill set up Simpson on the left but his shot went across the box past the righthand post. Haywards Heath won a couple of corners that were well defended. Allen played a good ball down the righthand touchline to Asante who centred the ball to Dickinson whose shot was parried by the keeper. Stephen Hodge collected the rebound but his shot was off target. Hodge made no mistake with his next attempt on 44mins as his shot from the left found the bottom right corner of the net to make it 2-1.

The lads made a good start to the second half and on 48mins Allen played in Hill but he was tackled before he could shoot. Asante was involved in a heavy challenge and injured his ankle requiring Conor Wilford to come on to replace him. While defending in our box, Charlie Davies went down in obvious pain. After some treatment he was stretchered off and replaced by Josh McArthur-Nolan. The lads had more of the play but Jack Webb-Olley made a good save on 75mins to keep us in the game. On 81mins Allen made a surging run down the right and into the box but couldn’t force a chance. Jimmy Williams came on for Allen and Joe Condon replaced Hill as 15 minutes of added time were to be played. The Lingers were attacking looking for the equaliser but could not create a clear chance before the final whistle. A good effort against a team that had been in the Isthmian League since 2018. We drop two places to 10th in the table and face a trip to Steyning Town to play a side that have just dropped their first points of the season.

Charlie Davies was taken to hospital for treatment and x-rays which did not show any sign of a break. We wish him a speedy recovery and return to action.