Burgess Hill Town and Haywards Heath Town struggling to kick season into life

It’s very early days but the two clubs’ pre-season hopes of having a serious push for promotion look a little optimistic so far.

Burgess Hill might have made progress in the FA Cup – in which they visit Corinthian-Casuals in this Saturday’s first qualifying round – but they sit bottom of the league table, pointless after four games.

On Saturday Jay Lovett’s men travelled to Kent to play Chatham and were up against it from early on.

Emmanuel Oloyede and Jack Evans scored to put Chatham 2-0 up within half an hour and Hill struggled to get back into it despite plenty of effort.

They did eventually get one back, but that was not until the 90th minute, when Martyn Box was on target, and it was too little too late.

On bank holiday Monday, Hill hosted a Sussex derby at the More Than Tyres Stadium when promoted Littlehampton Town arrived, with a crowd of 535 present.

The crucial moment came in the 17th minute when Hill conceded a penalty and had Reggie Ward sent off.

Former Hillian Scott Kirkwood put away the penalty and Lovett’s men had a mountain to climb.

As on Saturday, they battled hard but to no avail and their miserable afternoon was completed when Kieran Rowe put through his own goal to make it 2-0 13 minutes from time.

Lovett might be pleased of a break from league action now, with this Saturday’s FA Cup tie followed by an FA Trophy visit to Felixstowe and Walton on Saturday week.

Hill’s next scheduled league fixture is not until Saturday, September 17, when they visit Whitehawk.

Not faring much better than Burgess Hill so far in league outings are Haywards Heath, who have just one point from their opening four matches.

On Saturday they lost 2-1 at home to Ramsgate.

Joshua Ajayi put the Rams in front on 24 minutes but Alahady Ibrahaim Jalloh equalised for Heath a few minutes into the second half.

Both sides pressed for the winner but it was the Kent side who got it, Jerald Aboagye clinching the three points with an 87th minute strike.

The scoreline was the same when Martin Dynan took his team to East Grinstead on Monday afternoon.

Tahjae Anderson put the Wasps ahead midway through the first half but Tom Collins quickly levelled.

But Matthew Daniel restored the hosts’ lead before half-time and that was the way it stayed.

Dynan’s team are already out of the FA Cup so have no game this weekend, but they return to action when they entertain Southall in the FA Trophy on Saturday, September 10.

Their next planned league outing is at home to Littlehampton Town a week after that.

Then on Tuesday, September 20, comes the first Hillians-Heath meeting of the season – at Burgess Hill. By then both teams will hope to have found some form.