Haywards Heath – Match Report
Title Rivals Steyning and Haywards Heath Share the Points in 1–1 Draw
Match Report by Lauren Hawker
Steyning welcomed Haywards Heath for a highly anticipated top of the table clash, with just five points separating the two sides. Steyning came into the fixture on the back of a resilient 3-1 league victory against Horsham YM, overturning a halftime deficit with two goals from captain Dion Jarivs. Haywards Heath, the league leaders, had enjoyed a near perfect campaign, winning their first 17 league matches before dropping points for the first time against Roffey.
Adding an intriguing twist to the encounter, all eleven of Hayward’s Heath’s starting players had previously worn the Steyning shirt, setting the stage for a fiercely competitive showdown.
The opening stages of the match were evenly contested, with both Steyning and Haywards struggling to break through each other’s defensive lines. In the 19th minute, a clever ball from captain Dion Jarvis found Max Blencowe, whose shot was well saved by the visiting goalkeeper Nathan Stroomberg Clarke. Blencowe was unable to capitalise on the rebound, keeping the deadlock intact.
Steyning continued to create opportunities, with Blencowe delivering a precise ball into the box in the 24th minute. Harry Heath met it with a header but was unable to find the target. Throughout the first half, possession remained fleeting for both sides, with neither able to maintain sustained control of the ball.
Steyning eventually broke the stalemate in the 34th minute when Conrad Honore fired a low, precise shot into the bottom right corner from just inside the box, giving the hosts a 1-0 lead. Haywards pushed for an equalizer, but their attacks were easily repelled, and the visitors failed to register a single shot of note in the first half.
The teams went into the break with Steyning holding a slender 1-0 advantage, having edged the better chances in a tight, hard-fought opening period.
The second half began with an immediate impact from Haywards Heath, who equalised in the 47th minute through a well-placed header from a corner from Da Costa , making it 1-1. Just two minutes later, the visitors threatened again, earning another corner after a shot on goal, though the Steyning defence managed to clear the danger.
A stoppage in play followed in the 53rd minute due to an incident in the crowd, briefly halting the match.
Haywards continued to press, with long-range efforts in the 61st and 63rd minutes going wide, followed by another chance just 8 minutes later, when Flynn Bolton sent a header over the bar.
Steyning struggled to create meaningful opportunities and were largely pinned in their own half throughout the period.
In the 77th minute, Tom Chalaye tested Steyning keeper Mitch Bromage with a shot on goal, which was saved for a corner.
Blencowe received a yellow card in the 80th minute for holding an opponent, while Haywards continued to threaten, seeing a close-range header go over the bar in the 83rd minute. Steyning did manage a rare opportunity in the 89th minute when Harry Heath found Stan Bridgman in the box, but his effort was comfortably gathered by Stroomberg Clarke.
The closing minutes were dominated by Haywards Heath and their direct football, with a series of long throws requiring decisive interventions from Bromage. In stoppage time, he was forced into a crucial save from a long-range effort from Chalaye in the 90+11th minute.
After a final scramble in the box, Steyning were able to clear the ball and preserve the draw, despite Jared Rance being shown a yellow card in the 90+13th minute for dissent.
The match ended 1-1, a hard-fought draw that kept Steyning within touching distance of the league leaders while highlighting the defensive resilience of both sides in a tense top of the table encounter.
PotM: Marcus Allen, with match sponsors Steph Gretton and family.
MatchDay Squad:
