Burgess Hill Town continue unbeaten run with win at South Park

The first chance of the game fell to South Park and they should have taken the lead when a good run down the right by David Smith saw him put in a teasing cross that fell kindly to Joe Jackson but his unchallenged shot went well over the bar from only eight yards out.

David Smith made another good run just two minutes later and this time his shot was met by Chris Smith but his header went just over from a tight angle. Burgess Hill were struggling to get into the game and South Park had another chance on fifteen minutes when a free kick from wide on Hill’s right side was met by Nathan Ayling who’s powerful header was turned round the post by Josh James for a corner.

Against the run of play Hill took the lead on eighteen minutes when Lee Harding put in a low cross that was met by Rob O’Toole who found the back of the net from five yards out. Both teams struggled to create any real chances until on thirty eight minutes Lee Harding broke through the away defence but his shot went high and wide of the goal and just a minute later Will Miles blocked a goal bound effort from South Park’s Chris Smith.

Hill got their second of the game a minute before half time when Scott Kirkwood started a move inside Hills half and found Sam Fisk on the left who beat Justin David in the away defence and put in a low cross that was half cleared only to find Kirkwood had carried his run on and he made no mistake by smashing the ball home from the edge of the box.

The second half started with Kirkwood putting in a cross that Rob O’Toole just couldn’t reach inside the six yard box but this was to be the only clear cut chance for what seemed to be an eternity and only half chances were created by both teams.

Both sides made changes to try and spark the game into life and Hill saw Graham Martin, Callum Saunders and Max Taylor come on for Scott Kirkwood, Rob O’Toole and Darren Budd.

South Park had a great chance to get a goal back on eighty eight minutes but Dale Burgess headed straight at James from only five yards out but Chris Smith made no mistake two minutes later when he hit a powerful volley past James from the edge of the box.

The referee called time after four minutes of extra time to give Hill another win to carry on the impressive unbeaten league run.

Burgess Hill Town: Josh James, Spencer Slaughter, Sam Fisk, Darren Budd (Max Taylor 88), Andy Pearson, Will Miles, Scott Kirkwood (Graham Martin 74), Joe Keehan, Pat Harding, Lee Harding, Rob O’Toole (Callum Saunders 82)

Unused Subs: Lukas Franzen-Jones, Stuart Tuck

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