Steyning Town 1 Broadbridge Heath 2 (Isthmian League South East)
Tuesday night‘s local-derby at home to Broadbridge Heath ended in disappointment for the Barrowmen, going down 2-1 in their second league match of the season. Steyning came into this fixture buoyed up by recent Cup-tie successes and hopeful of some good fortune in the league against our near neighbours.
On a warm and pleasant evening at the Birchwood Shooting Field, and with a decent sized local-derby crowd in attendance, the opening exchanges were fairly even-stevens with a lot of tussling going on in midfield and the two sides affectively cancelling eachother out.
However, it was the visitors who were first to get a foot hold and on 23 minutes after going close with a header seconds earlier, the Bears target man Ben Aubrey slotted the ball wide of Nathan Stromberg to put them in front.
With Mark Goldson and Alfie Rogers moving well Steyning tried to take the game to them and get back in, but bud up play was often disjointed and the team kept getting caught in possession and giving the ball away, allowing Heath to counter. It took a brilliant full stretch, finger tip save from Stromberg to keep out a point blank bullet header from Aubrey and some last ditch defending was required to stop the Heath from increasing their lead.
Half time – Town 0 Broadbridge H 1
The Barrowmen started the second half with a marked increase in urgency. Lloyd Francis looked sharp and on 53 minutes we got our reward for an improved showing. A ball in from the left from Francis found Rogers at the near post who flicked the ball backwards, catching a Heath defender on its way into their net to level the score. The goal gave a huge boost and a spell of frenetic energy followed and with a little more luck Steyning may well have taken the lead.
However, the visitors were not deterred and continued to attack, looking dangerous down the flanks. Stromberg again had to be at his best to keep out a low angled drive from the left as they stretched the play.
Alas, on 81 minutes Town fell behind again when Bears midfielder Matt Doughty billowed our net with a power drive from the edge of the box. In the closing stages Steyning tried to rally and find a late salvo but unfortunately this time it was not to be. Again, the team have to regroup and learn lessons of adjusting to life at a higher level, but of course still draw on the plusses going forward.
Onto the next, and this Saturday it is the FA Cup again with a home tie against Merstham who were also the first visitors in the league a few weeks ago. A chance for revenge! (KO @ Birchwood Shooting Field 3pm).
Final Score – Steyning Town 1 Broadbridge Heath 2
Town line up – Stromberg, Osei, Kaziauskas, Barnes capt, Edwards, Da Costa, Goldson (Roberts),Weller, Murrain (Meehan), Rogers, Francis (Towning) Unused subs – Gratwick, Harding
