HEATH PAY FOR SLOW START

Heath started their first game for three weeks following postponements and were beaten by a Clymping side that had inflicted their only previous league defeat this season. Had they won Heath would have been top of the table but now are in fifth place.

For the first 10 minutes Heath were not in this game and in that time Clymping had established a two goal cushion, both goals were scored in the same way with passes that should have been cut out easily, but instead found their way to the right winger who headed to the byline and pulled the ball back for a forward to slot into the bottom corner of the net with Chris Turner given no chance each time.

Heath looked uncomfortable with both the score line and the direct play of Clymping which was getting the ball up to their three forwards as early as possible, although the solid centre back partnership of Louie Wright and Tommy Howes who have been outstanding this season started to get to grips with their opponents and succeeded in wresting the initiative away from them as the game progressed. Up front when he received the ball to his feet, Geoff Pitcher was causing problems to the Clymping back three with his close control and several times he pulled the ball back into space, or to an onrushing midfielder. From one pull back Daley Clark nearly got on the end of it but just failed, and then Mark Beard timed his run superbly and as he went to shoot he was fouled from behind and had his legs taken away. The referee for some reason turned down the stonewall penalty shout – and then booked Beard, possibly for letting his leg get gashed open on the tacklers studs! Another Beard run led to another penalty claim for a push in the area but again the ref was having none of it and half time came with Heath still trailing by two goals.

All the action in the second half took place in the Clymping half as Heath searched for the goals they needed, and several shots just went the wrong side of the posts, before Clymping had a huge let off when Rob Cooper skinned the right back again and crossed where Mark Beard arrived to strike goalwards. The keeper was beaten but somehow the ball hit the bar and bounced out to Pitcher who kept calm as defenders and the goalie dived at him and controlled the ball and measured his shot – which went just wide. Cafu White was storming down the right flank at will now and with Cooper doing the same down the left it seemed a matter of time before the goals arrived, although time was beginning to run out. Finally with twelve minutes left Matt Kelly expertly nodded a bouncing ball into the Clymping net, but despite trying everything Heath couldn't get the deserved equalizer and missed out on the points. This Saturday Heath play a County Cup game at Hanbury Stadium v Fern Estates 3.00pm kick off all are welcome with under 16s free admission.

Team

Turner, White, Wright, Howes, McMenemy, Frietas (Cooper 55), Day, Beard, Humphries (Kelly 70), Pitcher, Clark

Man of the Match

Howes