The regular season might have finished just over a week ago but now it’s the thick end of the play-offs. A season’s work coming down to 90 minutes and potentially a second set but never guaranteed.
Some see these games as unfair if the side finishing second don’t get promoted especially if they’ve run the champions close over those 30+ matches since July and August.
But the PO’s have been here for years although only more recently added to the lower levels of non-league football, still bringing the same excitement that the professional game has provided for years with close encounters and drama which is we want from the game surely?
Having taken in the Southern Combination Division One semi-final on Tuesday evening along with Chris Prior between Reigate Priory and Infinity I could have chosen the final on this same Saturday afternoon, Infinity running out 2-0 winners to head up the A29 to Billingshurst for a place in the Premier Division.
But I like to spread myself around and with Guernsey out of the equation, Haywards Heath was the destination to also catch up with another footballing friend and to see if it was to be them or Peacehaven & Telscombe in the final next weekend.
The four sides in the mix, Horsham YM making up the quartet, would in my opinion all be worthy winners to go up alongside Steyning Town. Heath however led the league for months before the Barrowmen just hunted them down and took the title on the final day but by six points in the end.
Haven are probably the lesser of the sides talked about but a fine fantastic campaign for them and no less worthy of their place and a shot at moving up to Step 4.
The beautiful Bank Holiday sunshine was due to give way to rain after half time but football this time of the season against that weather backdrop is the reward for the time spent on cold November Tuesday nights.
There were nerves early on, understandably, very often these games come down to fine margins than huge scorelines. Both sides were looking to use the width to create and whip the ball in after beating full backs, Haven had the better attacking intent but Heath with the actual better chances in the box, blocks galore to stop the home side taking the lead on two occasions as the change in weather was just beginning to take effect.
Seven minutes before half time, a seemingly pivotal moment of the kind you don’t want in a game of high stakes. A foul committed by Heath skipper Jack Barnes saw the player dismissed with a straight red card, not for the foul but confirmed by the referee after half time as a stamp, the hosts playing out the second 45 with ten men.
Kev Green then went three at the back to begin that half, they had struggled first half to control the middle of the park as I’ve seen them do so often with Barnes and Ryan Warwick, the change actually making it look like they still had the full complement on the pitch.
And they began well, but Haven got their foothold back in the game again as the promised rain arrived and sent many scouring for cover. Once again the visitors were using that width to get themselves into good positions and defending well.
On 78 minutes came a killer blow, Heath a little bit and sixes and sevens as Haven ran at them the ball landing at the feet of Connor Tighe who made enough space at the edge of the penalty area to curl a beautiful shot past Nathan Stroomberg-Clarke and into the bottom left hand corner much to the delight of the travelling fans situated next to the goal.
With the season on the line the substitutions flowed to protect the lead and oppositely to try and get the leveller, Heath poured on the pressure, wave after wave but resolutely defended. There was one more chance for Haven to seal it after breaking clear, bypassing the on-rushing Stroomberg-Clarke but superb blocking from the Heath backline ensured stoppage time would be nervy.
Once again Heath encamped in the Haven half and a late Kyle Sim header agonisingly bounced the wrong side of the post, the best of the chances they had, the whistle went soon after and it was to be Haven heading to Guernsey for a place in the Isthmian League.
Not a classic game by any stretch of the imagination and as I mentioned not always surprising given what’s at stake. Heath I know have been patched up for weeks, games catching up on them in the run-in but that’s to take nothing away from Peacehaven who worked hard all game and won it with a piece of quality from Tighe.
A bitter pill to swallow for a side who were streets clear at points this season with suggestions from some that all manner of records would be broken during the course of the campaign. Football can have a funny way at times of showing you how quickly things going well can turn on a sixpence and go the other way, a second successive play-off campaign ending in defeat and a league that will no doubt be more competitive next season.
Tighe took his goal really well, was very impressed with Eman Okunja for Haven too, always available and finding space, his distribution was first class all afternoon whilst for Heath Cam Lawson was a great outlet first half getting forward and Mark Goldson put in a great shift behind Callum Barlow, just not quite able to get things ticking over, however.
Great to finally catch up with Horsham fan and super writer Lee Wellings for the game, our path’s haven’t crossed all year and with me not making Horsham this season at all time was very much running out. Always great to get the viewpoint of others who watch and write, or those actually inside the game and although I didn’t get much chance to chat with Broadbridge Heath gaffer Chris Simmons we caught up after the game via social media.
Nice to put a name to the face of Non League Southern News on Twitter, Matt. An aspiring young man like so many who want to make a name in the game and project themselves into the world of non-league football across Sussex.
