Burgess Hill remain unbeaten after beating Carshalton Athletic

Hill’s recent good form attracted a large of crowd of 386 to the Green Elephants Stadium.

Carshalton had the perfect start with only three minutes on the clock when Ricardo Panton put in a low cross and Sean O’Toole found the back of the net from inside the six yard box. Burgess Hill had a perfect opportunity to level the game on eight minutes when Greg Luer put in a perfect corner that found Will Miles inside the box with a free header but his effort went wide.

Both teams had plenty of possession for the next twenty minutes but just couldn’t create any real chances and it was on twenty nine minutes Carshalton tested Josh James when Austin Gacheru shot from outside the box but his effort was comfortably saved by James and just a minute later James again denied the visitors when he saved at the feet of Ricardo Panton inside the box. Hill drew level on thirty four minutes when Will Miles found Joe Keehan from a free kick outside the box and his low driven cross was met by Rob O’Toole who smashed the ball into the roof of the net from five yards out; O’Toole nearly got a second goal on forty minutes when he headed just over and on the stroke of half time Dan Perry tested the visitors keeper Jack Eden with a well struck shot but Eden comfortably gathered his effort.

The second half started similar to the first with Carshalton attacking in the first minute and the lively Sean O’Toole made a run down the left beating two defenders and his cross just couldn’t find the attacking Austin Gacheru and this then produced a scramble inside the box that Hill managed to clear. Hill added their second of the game just a minute later when Greg Luer put in an unplayable free kick that Joe Keehan met with his head and gave Eden in goal no chance. Burgess Hill were now starting to find their feet in this game and Lee Harding was handed a great chance to add to Hill’s tally when Dan Perry found him with a cross but his effort went just wide.

Ian Chapman made some changes with Monday night’s game against Hastings in mind and Lee Harding and Dan Perry were replaced with Graham Martin and Pat Harding. Carshalton made their own changes and this seemed to make a difference to their approach and they instantly started to create chances. Ryan Young saw his effort go just wide and he then put in a cross that found Tommy Bradford only five yards out with only Josh James to beat but his header went over for a goal kick.

Ian Chapman made one more change before the end with Darren Budd being replaced by new signing Dan Pearse who was involved in giving Carshalton the last chance of the game when he gave away a free kick just outside the box but Austin Gacheru’s effort was deflected out for a corner by the well placed wall. This wasn’t a vintage performance by Hill but a valuable three points and another sign of how resilient they are this season.

Man of the match was given to Josh James for some crucial saves he made in both halves to keep Burgess Hill Town in the match.

Burgess Hill Town: Josh James, Toby Pointing, Sam Fisk, Darren Budd (Dan Pearse 84), Andy Pearson, Will Miles, Lee Harding (Graham Martin 54), Joe Keehan, Dan Perry (Pat Harding 67), Greg Luer, Rob O’Toole

Unused Subs: Callum Saunders, Stuart Tuck