HEATH OUTFOUGHT AND SLIP TO DEFEAT

Heath struggled at home against League newcomers Clymping who left Hanbury Stadium with the points after dominating the game on Saturday. Heath started slowly and were nearly caught cold in the first few minutes when Clymping should have scored with a free header from one of the five corners thy won in the first 15 minutes. They went ahead after 10 minutes when despite a great save from Turner the defenders were unable to clear the ball and a forward drilled it into the far corner. The taller more committed Clymping team were making it difficult for Heath in all areas of the pitch and it wasn't until half an hour had been played before Skinner forced the keeper into his first save which he made at full stretch but couldn't gather cleanly. Unfortunately there was no-one to attack the loose ball and the danger was cleared. After 40 minutes Beard's cross was sliced narrowly wide by Clymping defender and the corner caused trouble but nothing came of it. Then in the last minute of the first half the referee saw a push on a Clymping player and he awarded a soft penalty which was dispatched into the corner of the Heath net for the second goal.

Kelly came on at half time in place of White who suffered a broken toe that will keep him out for a few weeks, and Heath upped their game in an effort to get back into it. They started passing the ball far more effectively and several moves got into promising areas of the field but the final pass was still missing. One move resulted in the offside trap being beaten and as the ball was pulled back across goal three efforts were made to knock it in the net but Clymping defenders managed to throw themselves in front of the shots and eventually the ball was cleared although it looked as though Heath should have netted.

The home team were pushing on now and Clark forced a fine save from the visiting keeper, then Chiadi who had replaced Newman when he pulled his hamstring, went on a mazy dribble that was only stopped by a despairing last ditch tackle, and with 5 minutes left a free kick was nodded out of the Clymping box where Wright showed great composure to smash a left foot volley that was heading into the top left corner until the keeper made a great fingertip save to flick it away. That was the last real chance as the ref blew the final whistle and Heath had been outfought and lost 2 - 0.

Team

Turner, Wright, Paul, Howes, Newman (Chiadi 60) Humphreys, Beard, White (Kelly 45), Clark, Skinner (Lares 70) Campbell

Man of the Match

Wright