Lots more to offer: Simmons positive as Broadbridge Heath assess first half-season in Isthmian League

A 1-0 loss at Sheppey on Saturday – when Simmons’ men pushed the play-off hopefulls all the way and nearly claimed a point – left them 19th in the table, one off the bottom but very much in touch with the pack ahead of them and with games in hand over many sides.

Simmons sees positive signs and said: “There have been plenty of highs and lows so far this season and we are learning every game – and apart from a couple of games I think we have more than held our own at this level. We still have lots to offer in the 2nd half of the season.

“We need to get over our injuries, take our chances and get a bit of luck that we definitely haven’t had yet this season and we will move up the table.”

At Sheppey, Simmons made five changes to the starting line-up, with Jamie Buchanan coming into midfield for the Covid-suffering Louis Evans, Matt Penfold back from a winter holiday, striker Ashley Mutongerwa making a rare start, Sam Lemon returning to the starting line-up the welcome return of central defender Kyle Sim, who transferred from Lancing last week.

A fairly quiet start to the match saw Heath’s Ashley Mutongerwa have the first attempt on goal on eight minutes with a right-foot shot wide of the post and on 26 minutes Sheppey’s D’Jean Bessey-Saldanha struck a right-foot shot from long distance wide of Alfie Hadfield’s post.

Heath’s best chance of the half came of 30 minutes when Penfold intercepted a pass in the centre of the park and played it forward to Lemon, who immediately sent Zac Young away down the left flank. The full-back drilled a left foot cross in to Ben Albury at the near post and his stretched leg made contact but put the ball just over the Sheppey crossbar.

The home side responded with Frankie Del Morgan hitting a fierce left-foot drive from long distance that Hadfield tipped over the bar and Briggs Ojemen came close heading a left-sided corner over the Heath bar. In the closing minutes of the half Hadfield denied Del Morgan, making a fine save from the full-back’s left-foot rocket but it remained 0-0 at the break.

Sheppey started the second half well but were unable to break down the Bears defence with Hadfield putting in a MoM performance. Heath did have their chances with Tad Bromage heading a corner from the left wide of the post but just as it looked as though Simmons’ side would pick up a hard-earned point, disaster struck.

A Heath attack was thwarted by the Sheppey goalkeeper Aiden Prail rushing out of goal to intercept a pass; the ball was played up to James Taylor in the centre-circle and the forward ran towards the Heath goal before unleashing a right foot shot from 23 yards that flew past Hadfield – much to the delight of the majority of the 367 supporters watching the game.

Heath finished the game strongly with three corners, a goalmouth scramble and blocked attempts at goal but the home side held out to earn the points which saw them move back into the division’s play-off places.

Simmons said: “We have been really struck down with Injuries and now Covid but I can’t fault the lads for there effort against a very good side away from home. In the last two games we have more than competed with two very good sides that will finish in the top six or seven and only a good goal or single mistake have cost us.

"We have also been really unlucky with a couple of tough decisions against us but we just need to keep fighting.”

BBH: Hadfield, Archeampong (Lindsey 62), Young, Sim, Bromage, Brackpool, Penfold, Buchanan (Barlow 76), Aubrey, Mutongerwa (Khallouqi 84), Lemon.

ROFFEY FC

by Sam Chapman

After the last minute heartbreak of losing in the FA Vase and then defeat at home to Godalming when they lost their goalkeeper and had to play with nine men for 30 minutes, Roffey took maximum points over the holiday period from three contrasting SCFL Division 1 games.

Roffey 4 Arundel 0

The Saturday before Christmas saw the Boars host in form Arundel at Horsham FC to avoid the possibility of the weather intervening. After some early Arundel pressure Jake Le Grange released Tom Tolfrey to put the home side into the lead.

However a few minutes later they were reduced to ten men when the referee judged Dan Pearse’s tackle worthy of a red card despite the Roffey man winning the ball. Roffey dropped Devon Fender and Ricardo Fernandes a bit deeper and continued to press for a second which came when Fender spotted Fernandes’ run and the Roffey skipper twisted and turned in the area before finishing just inside the post to make it 2-0 at half time.

Roffey made light of their man disadvantage by managing the game effectively and adding goals from Fender and Wanstall to complete a comfortable win to start the holiday period.

Roffey 2 Dorking Wanderers B

The Wednesday after Christmas saw first v second as Dorking Wanderers visited the Camping World stadium which again had been booked as all the matches on grass that night were postponed and a large crowd assembled to see the six-pointer. Dorking are a young and skilful side from the Wanderers academy and their daily training was evident in their fitness, technique and organisation.

They play their home games on a 4G surface and were quickly into their stride, although Jack Munday was not happy conceding from an unmarked header from a corner, Dmytro Solidilov giving the visitors the lead.

Roffey gradually worked their way into the game and Ogunseri saved shots from Maher, and Tolfrey twice without being seriously extended. The Boars were given a boost just before half-time when this time it was their opponents that were reduced to ten men when Solodilov came in late on Mark Bevan.

The hosts came out for the second half determined to work the ten men hard to open up the gaps which their visitors were so good at covering. It took till the 81st minute when just after having a goal disallowed,

Tiago Andrade met Fender’s corner to perfection at the near post to equalise. Dorking hit back and Blake Williams had to produce an excellent save to stop Luke Bejashvilli’s shot from going into the top corner. Then as stoppage time approached, a Wanderer’s free kick was cleared to Fender who found Morgan Prill wide on the left.

The teenager cut in, played a one two with Andrade and slotted a perfect reverse path into the path of Ricardo Fernandes who lifted the ball over the onrushing Ogunseri but saw it hit the post. Fernandes reacted first to drive the ball back goalwards where a combination of Tom Tolfrey and the defender forced the ball into the net. The Boars saw out stoppage time to achieve their best win of the season against a very good team.

Roffey 5 Mile Oak 3

The Boars’ last game of 2023, despite seeing eight goals, was hardly a classic.

Played on Steyning’s 3G pitch as other local games fell to the weather, the strong wind did not help but after racing into a three goal lead in the first 20 minutes through two Devon Fender blasts and a superb individual goal from James Pearse, Roffey lost their rhythm and conceded a sloppy goal before half time. So, despite countless efforts on goal the Boars went in knowing they still had a game on their hands.

This was even more the case when they conceded a penalty at the start of the second half and the understrength Mile Oak suddenly had the bit between their teeth. Roffey at last began to control possession and extended their lead when Jake Le Grange’s cross was headed into his own net by a defender. The game was made safe when an outrageous flicked pass from Morgan Prill found George Cousins in the box and he made no mistake to make it 5-2.

With virtually the last play of the match the experienced Danny Curd out jumped 16 year old Bailey Shorey to plant an excellent header over Williams to complete the scoring.

So Roffey finished the year at the top of the table with games in hand on those immediately below them and now face a tough looking game at Chessington and Hook in their first game of 2024.