The U17s entered the cup match full of promise as the team had already beat Sedlescombe in the first game of the season.

As the young bears play 3 5 1 1 the middle seemed very busy. Renato Carvalho and Darren Helsdown played wing backs and both worked really hard both in attack and defending duties. The first 10 minuets Sedlescombe had more of the play and created a number of early chances.

Broadbridge Heath started to come alive with Rhyss Warren playing the no10 role had 3 clear chances of putting the bears in front, but just couldn't get find the target.

Both teams went into the break 0/0 and it was the right time to make a change, in came Johnson Siatos for Mason Doughty which gave us more pace. Ravi Sandhu came on for Joe Mooney which balanced up the midfield. The bears were on top now and had a number of chances but the Sedlescombe keeper was proving to be a tough nut to crack.

The winning goal came from about 30 yards out on the left wing, when Darren Helsdown must have not wanted another 20 mins of extra time, let lose a power driver of a shot that flew past the keeper and hit the inside of the far post and went in.

Sedlescombe had one last chance when the ball was smashed back towards the goal, only for Alfie Hadfield to pull off the save of the game and put it out for a corner.

Broadbridge Heath played keep ball in Sedlescombes half to see out the game.

Into the final against Haywards Heath U18 academy side in the final, so it will be tough for our boys but we are there on merit.

Squad: ALFIE HADFIELD, CONNOR WHITE, ROWAN CHALK, TOMMY STEVENS, DARREN HELSDOWN, RENATO CARVALHO, MITCH CLARK, KALIL HUSSAIN, JOE MOONEY, MASON DOUGHTY, RHYS WARREN

Subs
CHARLIE NICHOLS, JHONSON SATIOS, RAVI SANDHU