A Tale of Two Heaths for Easter Monday

  

Hopperational Details
Date & Venues	Monday 21 April 2025 (Easter Monday) a)    Hassocks Hotel Beacon Ground b)    BodyMould Mattresses Community Stadium
Results	Hassocks 3 Haywards Heath Town 0 Broadbridge Heath 4 Littlehampton Town 0
Competitions	a)    Southern Combination Premier (Step 5) b)    Isthmian Division One South-East (Step 4)
Hopstats	Numbers 797 & 798 respectively on my lifetime list and I’m here for a chance to tick off a Step 4 priority whilst kickoff times and proximity allow a Bank Holiday double hop.
Context
Penultimate league games of the season for all four teams today. Hassocks have already secured the divisional title and will grace Step 4 with their picturesque ground next season. Haywards Heath slipped to fourth earlier in the weekend but are still in the playoff positions. Both Broadbridge Heath and Littlehampton Town are safe in mid- and lower-mid table respectively so there is not much riding on the fixture except local bragging rights.
Match Reports
Haywards Heath lined up for the traditional guard of honour for the champions-elect. They held on for just over half an hour before going behind in a moment of controversy. I was at the other end so need to be somewhat vague, but it looked as if Dan Turner’s header from a ridiculous distance went in on the bounce, but with the visiting keeper Mitch Bromage flattened and in need of subsequent treatment. Turner himself had taken the long throw that caused the initial chaos. Long and looping far post corners, alongside the long-throw weapon, meant that the aerial routes were well-used in home attacks. It had been a very physical first half, with Hassocks generally on top before Heath’s first real chance on the break as we entered stoppage time. The visitors could and should have equalised just after the hour. It took an outstanding double block by keeper James Shaw then defender Joe Bull to keep the lead. Then an attempt to play out from the back went wrong and Hassocks doubled their lead. Josh Mundy was set up beautifully for a spectacular first-time strike. Substitute Rauri Farrell got the third in similar circumstances, and another sub Charlie Pitcher was denied twice in quick succession as the Haywards Heath challenge subsided. I had to skip the trophy presentation formalities to head north to Broadbridge Heath. I often lurk with visiting supporters when I am a neutral, but the tuneless megaphone-assisted “singing” from the Littlehampton end meant that my loyalties switched sharpishly. Both sides threatened. Littlehampton were more direct, but Broadbridge reached the byline more than once down the flanks without creating a finish. The floodgates opened on 27 minutes with a Mark Goldson penalty. Littlehampton responded with a good spell of pressure but then Goldson got a second with a clever turn and shot. An intelligent pass led to a third, for Mason Doughty, before the interval and that was pretty much all doubt removed about the result. The fourth goal was a peach. Matt Hay’s right-wing cross at the end of a run (maybe more stepovers than strictly necessary, but enough to bamboozle the defence) was converted with a textbook diving header by Louis Evans. The last half-hour was largely uneventful, but that was a very effective demolition job by the home side. A nice Bank Holiday double hop, despite the joylessness of the M25 western section on the way home.
So What?
Farewell to Step 5 for Hassocks. Haywards Heath will still need to get something from their final game in order to secure that playoff space. They could finish anywhere from 3rd to 7th. Littlehampton Town will finish 18th no matter what happens next weekend, and Broadbridge will finish between 11th and 14th.
Pix
Hassocks (in red) v Haywards Heath   Broadbridge Heath (blue) v Littlehampton Town
Goalkeeper Top Colour Stats Update
The background to this, and the latest keeper top colour league table, is here on this dedicated page. Today, a bad day for predictions as Pink and Purple beat Orange and Green respectively, and with clean sheets too. Pre-match Prediction based on Keeper Top Colour: Predictions: a)    Away Win b)    Away Win Was the prediction correct? a)    No b)    No % of correct predictions so far 49% (88 from 180)
What Next?
Who knows? School exam season approaching (always a busy time at work) so I have to take one day at a time. I’d like to get at least 799 and 800 done this season.